Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: A pair of high school seniors making a web documentary about their sleepy (boring) Missouri small town discover the town's residents are being killed and replaced by perfect copies. Who's in it? The movie stars Joel Courtney , Calum Worthy , Andi Matichak , Katherine McNamara and Cam Gigandet . Review: Even though my wife had (virtual) kickboxing yesterday evening, we had a little bit of time before bed and wound up picking out this movie on Netflix. This was pretty much just a random pick because the description left a lot to the imagination. And, I'm not going to say it was a mistake because we didn't exactly hate this film. But, it was pretty easy to understand why it was the first time either of us had ever heard of it. Let's put it this way. If you have seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers (either version), you have already seen this movie. In fact, with the exception of it being modernized to include things like the internet, cell phones ...

Synopsis: A small-town Romanian woman travels to Italy with a man who claims to be a TV producer finding cast members for a new reality series and, instead, is sold into prostitution under the control of a heartless pimp, Manol, who seems to have spies around every corner, preventing her escape. Who's in it? The movie stars Francesca Agostini , Mischa Barton , Daniel Baldwin , Danny Trejo and Michael Madsen . Review: I was looking for something to watch with my wife Monday night and, since there won't be any new Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes for a while, I picked out this film, which reminded me a lot of that show. Overall, we enjoyed it. I think the thing that really stood out for me when it came to this movie was the way Sofia (Agostini) wound up in the situation she did. Not only did the fake TV producer, Gabriel ( Andrey Chernyshov ) not force her into the car, he practically gave her every opportunity to change her mind. Heck, he even drove her...

Synopsis: Ed and Lorraine Warren have the spirit conduit doll, Annabelle, safely locked up inside their house. However, when they go away for a night, their babysitter's friend accidentally releases the doll and causes supernatural havoc in the house. Who's in it? The movie stars Mckenna Grace , Madison Iseman , Katie Sarife , Michael Cimino and Samara Lee . Review: I've never been a huge fan of the Annabelle movies but my wife is so, when it came time to get a new DVD through Netflix, I added this one to the top of the list. We watched it last night and were both in agreement, this movie just wasn't that great. There's a Facebook meme that pretty much describes how I felt while watching this. It's the one with a guy poking something with a stick while saying "come on, do something." There was a lot of build-up through this film and a bit of action at the end but, ultimately, it was kind of dull. I will say this about the film, I did fin...

Synopsis: A 1930s dinner party at a run-down estate in England turns terrifying when a seance releases the evil spirit of a former inhabitant. Who's in it? The movie stars Tom Bailey , Margaret Clunie , Robert Llewellyn , Timothy Renouff and Jessica Webber . Review: My wife was doing her (virtual) kickboxing class and I was still waiting on dinner in the oven so, to kill time, I looked for a movie to watch with her. After some consideration, I picked this film on VUDU, mostly because it sounded somewhat unique. I wasn't really sure if we would enjoy it or not, but it wound up being halfway decent. The decision to film the movie in black and white and pretend it was a classic horror film was a bit risky. But, I have to say it actually worked really well. Everything from how the movie was filmed to the eerie string music playing in the background gave it that classic vibe and, if someone didn't know when the movie was actually made, it probably could have fooled s...

Synopsis: Concerned about his mental health and hoping to scare him straight, Jacob's friends bring him to the abandoned and supposedly haunted chemical factory where his dad was killed because they have arranged for him to be the subject of a cruel prank on a nationally-televised series. However, things don't go as planned and, instead of being scared, Jacob snaps, dons a hazmat suit and starts hunting both the television crew and his friends with an ax. Who's in it? The movie stars Norbert Velez , Aniela McGuinness , Todd Bruno , GiGi Calero and Daniela Larez . Review: When I came across this movie on VUDU yesterday, I honestly didn't think it would be very good. But, I figured it was a simple-enough plot to be watchable and, at minimum, my wife and I might get a few laughs at the expense of the characters in the movie. For the most part, this movie was about what I was expecting it to be. However, it did end up being a pleasant surprise as well. I'...

Synopsis: In 1987, teenager Javed Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants living in Luton, England, is introduced to the music of Bruce Springsteen. Inspired by the lyrics, he begins taking steps to achieve his dream of being a writer. However, this eventually puts him at odds with his conservative father. Who's in it? The movie stars Viveik Kalra , Kulvinder Ghir , Nell Williams , Aaron Phagura and Dean-Charles Chapman . Review: I ended up getting this movie on DVD through Netflix after my wife (who is a big Bruce Springsteen fan) saw a preview for it on another movie. We finally had an opportunity to watch it yesterday afternoon and, after seeing it, I have to say I enjoyed it. To be honest, I wasn't really sure if that would be the case because, based on what I saw in the previews, it looked a lot more like a movie she would enjoy than one I would like. But, there was actually quite a bit about this film that got me interested. I think the part of this that real...

It's still a bit windy out but, other than that, it isn't too bad weather-wise so I ducked out for a quick walk at lunch. Most of the trails were relatively quiet, I didn't even see geese on the pond, but I still managed to get some photos.

We originally planned on going to Horicon Marsh again on Saturday. But, both because it was very windy and because we figured it would be extremely crowded, I took the family to Edgewater Park here in town and had them join me on my walk. I think the highlight of the outdoor time was the girls seeing and even petting a baby snake. And, I did manage to get some photos while we were out as well.

After some crazy, December-like weather earlier this week, it was finally decent enough outside for me to go for a walk at lunch. At first, I didn't think I would find anything to get a photo of. But, by the time I got back to my car, I did have a few pics on my camera.

Synopsis: While transporting a legendary supernatural serial killer known by the nickname Bonejangles, the group of police officers assigned to guard him break down in a town suffering from a zombie curse cast by a powerful witch. When Bonejangles escapes, his caretakers hatch a plan to use him to fight the witch and break the curse once and for all. Who's in it? The movie stars Elissa Dowling , Reggie Bannister , Julia Cavanaugh , Christopher Hunt and Hannah Richter . Review: I came across this movie on VUDU yesterday afternoon and, since we had an evening free, decided to watch it with my wife. When I picked this film out, my expectations were somewhat lowered, mostly because it advertised itself as a horror/comedy and those very rarely work out. But, truth be told, I wound up enjoying this movie more than I expected. The film, quite honestly, was made at the wrong time. Everything about this movie screams 1980s horror flick, from the gratuitous nudity to the extra...

I know everyone is handling this pandemic differently and plenty of you are probably starting to get cabin fever. So, as my way of trying to help people through this. Some of my books will be available, free of charge, on Amazon Kindle through Saturday. The free books and their Amazon links are below: A Messy House is a Home Angels Don't Always Have Wings (currently ranked #38 in religious and spiritual poetry) The Smallest Voice in the Congregation (currently ranked #39 in religious and spiritual poetry) Murder by Chili (a 90-minute mystery) Does God Cry? The Lonely Shallow Grave (a book of short stories) The Icky, Sticky Mess on the Floor (illustrated by my oldest daughter and currently ranked #92 in children's beginner reader books) A Picture for My Mommy (illustrated by my youngest daughter)

Synopsis: An experimental American oil plant drilling in the Mongolian desert accidentally releases mythical giant man-eating worms that were rumored to be the guardians of Genghis Khan's lost tomb and treasure. Who's in it? The movie stars Sean Patrick Flanery , Victoria Pratt , George Cheung , Drew Waters and Nate Rubin . Review: When I first came across this movie on VUDU, I couldn't help but think it was nothing more than a bad ripoff of the film Tremors . But, my wife and I were having a hard time finding something that looked better and, wanting to watch a movie (any movie) before it got too late, we ended up picking this one anyway. As it turns out, it was actually better than I was expecting. Yes, as I suspected, the movie really does seem an awful lot like Tremors. In fact, the Mongolian Death Worms even look a lot like the worms in that film. But, the movie still manages to be different enough to feel at least somewhat unique. I think the thing I fo...

Synopsis: Sue Sharp and her family are spending time at a cabin in Keddie, California when they are terrorized by a group of masked invaders who break into their cabin in the middle of the night. The movie is based on a real-life 1981 unsolved murder. Who's in it? The movie stars Terri Dwyer , Brendee Green , Harriet Rees , Gareth Lawrence and Lee Bane. Review: I came across this film on VUDU last night and, since it looked halfway interesting, I decided to watch it with my wife. I had hoped, at minimum, it would be a good psychological thriller, especially since it was based on a real-life quadruple homicide. But, it wound up being a bit of a disappointment. I think the premise of the film is a good one. The Keddie murders, from what I've read of them, seemed pretty gruesome and had potential as an on-screen thriller/mystery. Unfortunately, I think the film just didn't quite execute this well enough. I think my biggest problem with this movie is it felt like ...

I didn't have a whole lot of luck when out for my walk at lunch today. The weather couldn't have been better, but none of the critters I saw were being very cooperative when it came to photos. The lone exception was this garter snake, which stopped and posed for me.

It was a bit overcast today but still warm enough to get outside for some social distancing. And, fortunately, I wound up having the whole park to myself so I could go where I wanted without running into anyone. I managed to get some photos too.

We decided to get the girls outside of the house today and spend some family time at Horicon Marsh. It was busier than we are used to seeing it, probably because of everyone else trying to get some fresh air while social distancing. But, we got a good 4-mile hike in and, despite my camera battery apparently not being fully charged, I did get some photos.

Synopsis: A group of college students agree to join one of their classmates at her parents' island mansion. Since it is the weekend of April Fools Day, they spend their time pulling pranks on each other. However, their fun soon turns to terror as members of their group are murdered. Since the only way off of the island is by boat, they must find a way to survive until help arrives. My wife and I re-watched this movie a couple days ago: You can read my review about it here: https://wizzley.com/movie-review-april-fools-day-1986/

Some people consider the first robin the start of spring. For me, it is when the turtles start coming out of hiding. That finally happened today on my walk and, after a few tries (they were extra skittish), I was finally able to get some photos of them, as well as a couple other random ones.

The weather is starting to warm up a bit so I've been making more of an effort to get out with my camera. I'm still coping with muddy trails and had to adjust my route yesterday as a result. But, I still managed to get a couple photos.

Synopsis: As an antibiotic-resistant disease rapidly infects the world's population, a small group of unaffected Londoners board a 747 in the hopes of finding refuge in Greenland only to find infected passengers have also boarded. Who's in it? The movie stars Rebecca Johnson , Joe Dixon , Karen Bryson , Edmund Kingsley and Jack Gordon . Review: I convinced my wife to watch a movie with me last night and, since global pandemics are all the rage right now, I decided to give this film a try. Unfortunately, while the premise seemed like it would be good, the overall execution of the movie made it somewhat of a disappointment. After some reflection, I think the main problem with this film is it never takes full advantage of what is actually a pretty awesome bacterial infection. It's actually a pretty cool disease, as far as horror movies go, because all you need to do to catch it is touch someone who already has it. And, once you do, it spreads rapidly. Yet, despite...