Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Three years after reluctantly assisting in a fraternity prank that sent a pledge to a mental hospital, a graduating Alana Maxwell joins her classmates at a New Years Eve costume party held on a train. What she doesn't know is one of the guests has murderous intentions. Who's in it? The movie stars Jamie Lee Curtis , Ben Johnson, David Copperfield, Hart Bochner and Derek McKinnon. Review: My wife has an almost child-like obsession with trains, and we both love horror films so, when I came across Terror Train last night, I decided to add it to the top of my list and watch it right away. Unfortunately, while this movie seemed to have quite a bit of potential, it did fall a bit short in my opinion. The overall premise isn't a bad one. The train provided a great setting, both because it was a confined space and because it was moving, making it much more difficult for the intended victims to escape. The costume party was a nice added touch as well because it both mad...

Synopsis: In the late 1980s and early 1990s, women's professional wrestling gained new attention with the promotion Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling  (GLOW). This documentary discusses the rise and fall of that promotion through interviews with the women that were involved. Who's in it? The documentary includes interviews with Emily Dole, Dee Booher, and Angelina Altishin  Review: I was in the mood for a documentary earlier today and, even though I had seen Glow: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling before, about a decade ago, I decided to watch it again. My opinion of it was the same as it was the first time I watched it - it was well worth my time. I remember watching some episodes of GLOW when I was in junior high and high school. However, because it was aired late at night and not on a consistent day/time, it wasn't something I watched as often as I probably would have preferred. This documentary did a good job both reviving the memories of what I did see and f...

Even though I like watching television, I rarely watch a show when it first airs. This is because networks have very short leashes and I have no interest in getting invested in a series only to see a cancellation after only a few episodes. To be fair, there are plenty of series out there that probably shouldn't have even gotten to a first season but there are also just as many that were cancelled out of impatience despite plenty of shows taking more than one season to find their audience ( M*A*S*H comes to mind). Here are four I personally think should have been given more than one season. Forever (2014) I love a good mystery and this Ioan Gruffudd -led series about a doctor who, much like a video game character, respawns whenever he is killed, had plenty of them. Why couldn't he die? How old was he? Why did he always respawn near water? Throw in the fact it was also a crime drama, and you have a series that, if given more time, could have gone down a number of different road...

Synopsis : After moving to Oregon with their mother, two brothers discover a seemingly bottomless hole hidden under a trap door in the basement of their new home. Soon after, their deepest fears begin manifesting themselves and putting their lives in danger. Who's in it? Chris Massoglia, Haley Bennett , Nathan Gamble, Bruce Dern and Teri Polo star in the movie. Review: I ended up watching The Hole the other day, mostly because of a mix of boredom and not finding anything else. I vaguely remembered watching this movie in the past but not enough to know if it was a film I had enjoyed. I still don't remember my opinion from the first time I saw it but my opinion today is a good one. There were a couple things I really liked about this movie. The first was, unlike so many other horror films, there wasn't an unneeded an emphasis on blood and gore and did not throw in any gratuitous nude scenes (unless you count Bennett wearing a bikini when swimming). Instead, the movie focus...

Synopsis: When Stephanie Falkner comes to Perry Mason to discuss an offer she's been made on a casino she inherited from her murdered father, Mason's long-time client Homer Garvin, Sr., asks the attorney to also meet with the prospective buyer, both to protect Stephanie and to represent his 15 percent stake. The buyer, George Casselman, is later found murdered, Stephanie becomes the primary suspect with Garvin charged as an accessory, putting Mason in a position to defend both, something that becomes more complicated when Mason's attempt to create confusion over the murder weapon backfires and has him facing potential charges as well. Review: I wasn't able to obtain a copy of The Case of the Long-Legged Models when I first read through Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason series. So, when I was able to finally get it through my local library, I made sure to have it in time for my three-day weekend. Unfortunately, while I have enjoyed most Perry Mason books, this on...

Synopsis: Bart Bromley is a 23-year-old with Asperger syndrome who lives in his mom's basement and works the night shift at a local hotel desk. To help with his social awkwardness, Bart studies hotel guests via secret cameras he has hidden in one of the rooms. When one of the cameras shows a guest being murdered, Bart tries to save her but is too late and, because he doesn't want to tell the police about the cameras, becomes a suspect in her death. He is transferred to a different hotel, where he meets and becomes obsessed with another guest, Andrea Rivera. However, he soon learns Andrea is mixed up with Nick Perretti, the same man he saw committing murder. Who's in it? The movie stars Tye Sheridan, Ana de Armas, Helen Hunt, John Leguizamo and  Johnathon Schaech . Review : I came across The Night Clerk on one of my movie channels yesterday morning and was intrigued enough to give it a try yesterday evening. The movie, as it turns out, wasn't quite what I was suspect...