Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis:  While visiting his fiancee's family, Monty Montague dives into their "dragon pool" and doesn't resurface. When his body is found, there is no water in the lungs and claw marks on his body. The family matriarch blames a mystical beast she believes lives in the water of the pool. However, private detective Philo Vance thinks there is a murderer in the house. Who's in it? The movie stars Warren William , Margaret Lindsay , Lyle Talbot , Eugene Pallette and George Meeker . Review: I came across this movie a couple weeks ago and added it to my library for when I was in the mood for a classic murder mystery. I finally had a chance to watch it this morning and, overall, wasn't overly impressed with it. The overall movie was about what I was expecting it to be, with a good mix of lighthearted jokes and conversations mixed in with a more serious plot. This was especially true of Vance (William), who always seemed to have a smirk on his face. While not nece...

Synopsis: A Chicago retail clerk brings home a popular interactive doll to her 12-year-old son, not realizing the doll has a programming defect that will result in the toy being turned into a killer. Who's in it? The movie stars Aubrey Plaza , Gabriel Bateman , Brian Tyree Henry , Mark Hamill and Tim Matheson. Review: When I first saw they were remaking one of my favorite horror films, I had no plans to watch it. However, my wife wanted to see it and I saw Mark Hamill was voicing the doll, Chucky, so I ended up getting it on DVD through Netflix. We finally watched it last night. After doing so, I immediately regretted not sticking with my original plan to skip it. At first, I thought this movie would be better than expected, mostly because Chucky had the ability to control other electronic devices and I saw real potential with that. However, the movie fell way short of taking advantage of that potential and, ultimately, the original was just better. Let's put it this way, th...

Synopsis: Belle Adrian doesn't approve of her daughter, Carlotta's, relationship with Arthur Cushing. When she hears a scream coming from Arthur's cabin and Carlotta's car isn't in the garage, she investigates and discovers Arthur has been murdered. Believing her daughter is guilty, Belle does her best to remove any incriminating evidence and continues to keep her mouth shut even when she is facing murder charges. Fortunately for her, Perry Mason happens to be in town on vacation. Review : It's raining and kind of cold outside today so, not being able to do too much outside, I wound up finishing this book. Overall, I thought it was an enjoyable murder mystery. OK, to be honest, I didn't find it too difficult to figure out who the killer was. I had a suspicion almost from the very start and, once the case made it to court, the evidence and testimony only confirmed my theory. Despite that, there was a lot to like about this book. I especially liked the way t...

Synopsis: After one of her friends is murdered, a social media star, Mia, take a break by watching her sister's dog. However, she soon finds herself tormented by someone threatening to kill both her sister and her friends if she doesn't complete a series of challenges. Who's in it? The movie stars Daisye Tutor , Emily Goss , Nicole Posener , Stephanie Simbari and Octavius J. Johnson . Review: I decided to spend the extra $6/month to add Shudder to my YouTube TV lineup and, to break it in, looked for a movie to watch with my wife yesterday evening. This one looked interesting, so I decided to check it out. Overall, my opinion of it was a bit mixed. The movie premise itself actually wasn't terrible (though I wouldn't exactly call it original). The antagonist wanted to punish Mia (Tutor) for focusing her attention on her social media friends and ignoring her dying mother and ailing sister (Goss) by either attempting to complete impossible challenges or choosing who w...

Synopsis: When charwoman Mrs. McGinty is murdered, her lodger, James Bentley is arrested for the crime. Even though Bentley was convicted by a jury, the soon-to-be-retired Superintendent Spence has doubts about his guilt and turns to Hercule Poirot for a second opinion. Poirot agrees to investigate but the only thing that points him in the direction of another killer is an inaccurate newspaper clipping referring to other crimes. Did Mrs. McGinty know somebody's secret? Review: I was under the impression I had read all of Christie's Hercule Poirot novels until I happened to come across this one at the library a couple weeks ago. I checked it out and wound up finishing it last night. Overall, I have to say I thought it was a decent book. There were a couple things I found I liked about this murder mystery. One of the main ones was the question about whether or not there really was another killer. Despite Spence's doubts, her lodger was found with money stolen from her flo...

Synopsis: Grace, a former foster child, has always wanted a family and believes she finally has that chance when she marries the wealthy Alex Le Domas. When, on her wedding night, she is invited to participate in the family's tradition of playing a random game with a new member, she thinks it is quirky but is also eager to be accepted. However, when she draws Hide-and-Seek, she quickly learns losing could have deadly consequences. Who's in it? The movie stars Samara Weaving , Adam Brody , Mark O'Brien , Andie MacDowell and Nicky Guadagni . Review: I saw a preview for this some time ago but, even though I thought the trailer looked interesting, pretty much forgot about the movie until I found the DVD on Netflix. I added it to my queue and my wife and I watched it last night. It turned out to be an entertaining movie. There were a couple things I found I really liked about this film. One of the first ones was the way the movie managed to be suspenseful but also mixed in ju...

Synopsis: A flight enroute from Los Angeles to Tokyo hits unexpected turbulence that causes one of the passengers to have a panic attack and die. Shortly after, the plane begins to have a series of strange occurences ranging from the cabin depressurizing to passengers disappearing. Who's in it? The movie stars Ryan Kwanten , Amy Smart , Leslie Bibb , Scout Taylor-Compton , Nicky Whelan and Christian Serratos . Review: I came across this movie a few weeks ago and added it to my library, partly because it sounded somewhat interesting and partly because I recognized a couple of the names. My wife and I had some free time yesterday evening and finally took the time to watch the film. Overall, I thought it was entertaining. I think the thing I liked most about this film is the mystery surrounding the deceased passenger ( Rick Kelly ). From the moment he is introduced, it is apparent there is something a little off about him, especially the way he is carefully transporting a wooden bo...

Synopsis: As silent movies became popular in America, Lon Chaney was able to become a top star due largely to his ability to use makeup to bring various characters to life. This non-fiction book tells about his rise. Review: I've never been a huge silent movie fan and, while I have seen some films, honestly haven't watched as many as I probably could have. As a result of this, while I knew who Lon Chany was, I wasn't overly familiar with his work outside of the Hunchback of Notre Dame . I came across this book at our library a few days ago and, thinking it was interesting, I decided to read it. Overall, I thought the book was very informative. The author gives a good play-by-play of Chaney's career, starting with his start at a local theater and ending with his reluctant transition from silent films to a a movie that had sound. The way his makeup effects both created unique characters and influenced an industry was impressive, especially when considering his relativel...

Synopsis: When Nellie Conway comes to him with a story about her employer, Nathan Bain plotting to kill his wife, Elizabeth, Perry Mason tries to distance himself from her as much as possible but ultimately is forced to defend her against theft charges. When Elizabeth is poisoned shortly after, Mason is once again brought into the fray and defends Elizabeth's sister, Victoria, against murder charges. Review: I wasn't 100 percent sure if I wanted to check out another Perry Mason book the last time I was at the library but, just in case there was another COVID-related closure, I figured I'd grab this one. I finished it while waiting for my daughter at the ice rink last night and, while it was OK, it wasn't one of my favorites. I think the thing that bothered me about this book is many of Mason's actions really don't make a whole lot of sense. He doesn't want anything to do with Nellie Conway (for reasons that aren't fully explained) but still travels to ...

My oldest daughter had to take the ACT yesterday and, since she is home schooled, that meant my wife and I making an hour-long drive with her so she could take the test in Oshkosh, WI. She didn't get an opportunity to eat a whole lot before the test and only had a light snack with her so, mostly because it was right next door, we stopped at Pizza @ Hwy 44 for lunch. This was our first time dining at this restaurant (which opened last spring) and, overall, I have to say I was impressed. There were a couple things, in particular, that really stood out for me. One of the main ones was the pizza itself. The three of us each got a personal pizza, which I thought were a reasonable value at $8.95 each. Not only was the pizza delicious, the generous amount of toppings on the pizza made it much more filling than I was expecting it to be.  In fact, I ordered the wound up having it for lunch yesterday, dinner later that evening and had three extra pieces leftover for lunch today. That added ...

Synopsis: After her aunt dies following an accidental fall, Jane inherits her rent-controlled apartment and, wanting space, decides to live there on her own despite previously planning to move in with her boyfriend. However, she is almost immediately harassed by her downstairs neighbor, an elderly woman who is never seen outside her apartment, and nobody believes her. To make matters worse, the man living in the building next to hers might be a murderer. Who's in it? The movie stars Juliette Lewis , William Hurt , Shelley Duvall , Austin Pendleton and Tobin Bell. Review: I came across this movie a couple weeks ago and, mostly because it had a lot of recognizable actors and actresses, I decided to add it to my library. I was in the mood for a horror movie/thriller last night and, after failing to find an alternative, ended up picking this film to watch with my wife. Unfortunately, it was kind of disappointing. When I first started watching the movie, I thought, from the descripti...

Synopsis:  As though her Thursday hadn't been bad enough, bullied teenager Millie is attacked by a serial killer known as The Butcher following a high school pep rally. She survives the attack, however the enchanted dagger he used causes her to switch bodies with him and she has just 24 hours to switch back before the change becomes permanent.  Who's in it? The movie stars Kathryn Newton , Vince Vaughn , Celeste O'Connor , Misha Osherovich and Emily Holder . Review: I saw the trailer for this movie a few months ago and was somewhat intrigued by what looked to be a unique take on the whole switched bodies concept that has otherwise been done to death. I ended up getting the film on DVD through Netflix and, after watching it last night, have added it to my list of favorites. This is a film that, if it had been done even slightly different, could have been unwatchable. However, the writers did a great job of mixing in comedy while staying true to the slasher movie genre. In o...

Synopsis : As World War II breaks out in Europe, San Francisco private detective Lou Peckinpaugh finds himself accused of his partner's murder. In addition to trying to clear his name, he is hired to track down a valuable diamond necklace. Who's in it? The movie stars Peter Falk , Ann-Margret , Eileen Brennan , Dom DeLuise and Madeline Kahn. Review: I was scrolling through movies on YouTube TV the other day and came across this film. Since it sounded intriguing, I added it to my list and found time to watch it yesterday evening. Overall, I have to say the movie, which is a spoof of classic films like Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon , was entertaining. I think the thing that really got my attention when watching this movie was the surprisingly long list of recognizable actors and actresses. Some of them, like Falk, Brennan and Kahn were in more prominent roles but even the minor characters had some familiar faces, such as David Ogden Stiers , Phil Silvers and Abe Vigoda ...