Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis : Angie, a successful New York surgeon, has only one regret in her life, not saying yes when her now-famous former boyfriend, Tyler, proposed to her 10 years earlier. While taking a commuter train home, Angie falls asleep and wakes up in 2011, just in time to celebrate what she says was her last happy Christmas with Tyler and her family. Only things aren't quite as joyful as she remembers and she must figure out how to set things right by Christmas Eve in order to return to the present time. Who's in it? The movie stars Lyndsy Fonseca , Chandler Massey , Lea Thompson , Eric Freeman and Christopher Lloyd . Review: I came across this movie this past weekend and, while I didn't have time to watch it right away, made sure to add it to my library for later because I thought it sounded interesting. As it turns out, the movie exceeded my expectations. When we first started watching this, my wife and I thought it would have a plot similar to It's a Wonderful Life , w...

Synopsis : Hoping to revive their failing holiday decorating businesses, two feuding families enter a local decorating contest. As insults fly between the two family patriarchs (former business partners), their kids begin to become romantically involved and try to find a way to resolve the long-time war. They see an opportunity to do this by convincing their dads to team up to win the competition together. Who's in it? The movie stars Taylor Cole , Carlo Marks , Sarah Surh , John Cassini and Garry Chalk . Review: My wife and I saw a preview for this movie during our Hallmark binge this past weekend and quickly added it to our list of films to watch. Unfortunately, while it looked decent in the preview, it really wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be. There are a number of problems with this film. One of the big ones is it is extremely predictable, both with the romance between Grace (Cole) and Tony (Marks) and the overall plot in general. Basically, it was one of those ...

Synopsis: Years after their breakup, Lara and Ben find themselves competing against each other in a televised Christmas competition. While they both want to win the $50,000 prize for their respective charities, renewed feelings may force them to choose between winning and a shot at getting back together. Who's in it? The movie stars Candace Cameron Bure , John Brotherton , Barbara Niven , BJ Harrison and Keenan Tracey . Review: My wife and I saw this movie advertised multiple times while binge watching Hallmark movies over the weekend. It looked interesting so we made sure to set aside time to watch it when it aired last night. Unfortunately, I just didn't like this one as much as I thought I would. I'll start out by saying I think the idea was a good one (though I feel like it's been done before) and had quite a bit of potential. However, the film just never really lives up to that potential, at least in my opinion. One of the things that hurt this movie was it was...

Synopsis: After being fired from their waitress gig, sisters Brooke and Margot Bennett travel to Ireland in search of their deceased father's relatives. While touring the estate of an Irish earl, Aiden Hart, Margot convinces Brooke to pretend to be a successful event planner so they get the opportunity to organize an elaborate castle party. They are successful but Brooke begins to have second thoughts when she starts to fall for the earl. Who's in it? The movie stars Lacey Chabert , Ali Hardiman , Stuart Townsend , Kate O'Toole and Breffni Holahan . Review: My wife and I saw this movie advertised multiple times while watching other Hallmark movies this weekend and, mostly because we both like Lacey Chabert , we made a point of watching it when it first aired. Unfortunately, while Chabert lived up to expectations, this movie really didn't. If there is one word to describe this movie, it would be "predictable." Everything from Brooke's (Chabert) budding r...

Synopsis : Vanessa Hall never knew her father so, when an ancestry DNA test allows her to meet him for the first time, she is thrilled, especially when he invites her to spend Christmas with him and the rest of her new family. As an added bonus, she sees romantic potential in a family friend. There's just one thing that threatens to screw everything up, a phone call from the DNA company telling her they made a mistake. Who's in it? The movie stars Aimee Teegarden , Andrew W. Walker , James Tupper , G eorgia Mae Orchard and Kendall Cross . Review: I'll be honest, by the time my wife and I started watching this movie, I was starting to get a little burned out on Hallmark Christmas films and gave consideration to finding something else to do. I did end up watching it, however, and am glad I did. This turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining movie, with a good mix of laughs and even tears (my wife had to get some tissues about midway through it). Overall, I feel I enjoye...

Synopsis: Christmas "Chris" Winnacker has made her small toy company successful enough to attract the attention of a larger company seeking both a merger and her leadership. However, for the deal to happen, she must first get her former business partner/best friend, Joe Sullivan, to sign off on it. Joe reluctantly agrees to do it, but only if Chris helps him organize his annual toy drive first. Who's in it? The movie stars Marisol Nichols , Paul Greene , Veronica Marin-Estrada , Ted Dillon and Barbara Eve Harris. Review: I spent a good chunk of my holiday weekend watching Hallmark Christmas movies with my wife. There were some I liked and some I didn't. This one was probably among my favorites. The thing I liked most about this movie is it wasn't as predictable as films in this genre usually are. A big part of the reason for this is the relationship between Chris (Nichols) and Joe (Greene). Unlike many other films, the relationship wasn't one-sided, at lea...

Synopsis: Historian Jessica Cooper is hired to research the Plaza Hotel and put together a historical Christmas display. When she is paired with professional decorator Nick Perrelli, their immediate chemistry puts her relationship with her current boyfriend in doubt. Who's in it? The movie stars Elizabeth Henstridge , Ryan Paevey , Bruce Davison , Julia Duffy and Karen Holness . Review: My wife and I watched multiple Hallmark Christmas movies yesterday and, while I had doubts, I did find I enjoyed most of them more than expected (at least the ones I didn't doze off watching). Some of them, however, just weren't as enjoyable as the others and, after some reflection, I feel this is one of those movies. I thought the premise sounded somewhat interesting, mostly because I enjoy history myself. Unfortunately, as this movie progressed, I realized the premise wasn't enough to save what ended up being a sub-par movie, even by Hallmark standards. There were a couple reasons ...

Synopsis: After losing her dream job as a pastry chef, Kylie is working as a part-time receptionist for her boyfriend's business. When he offers her a promotion rather than a marriage proposal, Kylie is devastated and breaks up with him. Her only hope for independence is a gingerbread house contest and, in need of an oven, she asks for help from a local restaurant owner that also happens to be an old flame. Who's in it? The movie stars Lacey Chabert , Lea Coco , Jonathan Adams , Brenden Sunderland and Lara Gilchrist. Review: After doing some early morning Black Friday shopping, my wife and I wound up crashing on our couch and watching Hallmark movies. While I would have definitely preferred a good horror film instead, I did have to admit this one was halfway decent. I thought Kylie ( Chabert ) and Nick (Coco) had some decent chemistry and were believable as a couple as a result. Unlike many other movies in this genre, their relationship didn't seem forced, helped by the ...

Synopsis: District Attorney Lauren Monroe has always had a contentious relationship with her wealthy father, especially since she chose to prosecute is rich friends rather than defend them. That's why she wasn't surprised when she only received $1 million for an inheritance while her younger brother received $20 million. However, her father also left her a surprise secret inheritance - a stranger locked up in a bunker who knows all sorts of secrets about her family. Who's in it? The movie stars Lily Collins , Simon Pegg , Connie Nielsen , Chace Crawford and Patrick Warburton. Review: My wife and I had some time to watch a movie while still digesting Thanksgiving dinner. I came across this one earlier in the morning and, thinking it sounded interesting, gave it a try. It turned out to be a decent film. I think the thing I liked most about this movie was just how difficult Lauren's (Collins) position was. It was obvious she wanted to do the right thing but was also co...

Synopsis: Accused murderer Tom Mitchell is hiding out in a small western town while working as a clerk at the general store. When the sheriff is murdered, the sheriff's sister (who knows Tom's secret) convinces Tom to take her brother's place. Once elected, he is tasked with preventing a range war between local ranchers while trying to keep a promise of non-violence that was made to the woman he loves. Who's in it? The movie stars Johnny Mack Brown , Iris Meredith , Mary MacLaren , Dick Curtis and Frank LaRue . Review: I came across this movie early this morning and, figuring it might be an interesting way to kill some time before heading into the office, decided to give it a try. I wasn't really expecting that much from it, mostly because the plot sounded a bit too simple. However, it ended up being a decent film. There were a couple things, in particular, I found I liked about this movie. One of the main ones was that non-violence promise he made to his main l...

Synopsis: With Calvert College on the verge of bankruptcy, the board of trustees decides to hire Coach James Gore to turn the football program around. However, Gore's obsession with winning eventually alienates some of his star players, puts his job in jeopardy and puts his marriage on the rocks. Who's in it? The movie stars Dick Powell , Ann Dvorak , Pat O'Brien , Lyle Talbot and Arthur Byron . Review: I came across this movie a couple days ago and decided to watch it while waiting for my daughter to get done at the ice rink. At first, I wasn't sure what to think about it but it did end up being a halfway decent film. I found I liked Coach Gore (O'Brien) a lot more than I was expecting, mostly because he wasn't what I was expecting. Instead of being a ruthless coach who was obsessed with winning at all costs, he was more of a salesperson who was doing everything he could to take advantage of his winning reputation while he could still cash in on it. And, wh...

Synopsis : Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are invited to take a holiday at Sir Henry Baskerville's estate so they can meet Baskerville's soon-to-be-married daughter and watch his horse, Silver Blaze, race. However, the vacation is ruined when two of Baskerville's employees are found murdered and Silver Blaze is stolen. Who's in it? The movie stars Arthur Wontner , Ian Fleming , Lyn Harding , John Turnbull and Judy Gunn. Review: My allergies were bothering me last night and, unable to sleep as a result, I ended up back on the couch in search of a movie to watch while my allergy pill kicked in. Even though I rarely watch Sherlock Holmes movies that don't star Basil Rathbone , I thought this one sounded interesting and gave it a try. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good as I was hoping. I think the best way to describe this movie is it is a 30-minute-long story that is stretched out to fill an hour-long screen time. The mystery itself is a bit too simple, even if i...

Synopsis: After being homeschooled while living in Africa her whole life, Cady Heron must adjust when her parents move to Illinois and send her to high school. When she is given an invite to join a girl clique known as "the plastics," Cady's two outcast friends encourage her to do it so she can get inside dirt on the school bully, Regina. The plan backfires, however, when Cady winds up replacing Regina as new queen of the Plastics. Who's in it? The movie stars Lindsay Lohan , Rachel McAdams , Lacey Chabert , Amanda Seyfried and Tina Fey . Review: My oldest daughter had to watch Mean Girls for her Women's Studies class and, since I had the afternoon off, I wound up taking the time to watch it with her. It wasn't the first time I've seen this movie but it had been a long while. After seeing it again, I have to admit this film is a lot better than I remembered. I think the thing that helps this movie the most is the all-star cast. Lohan was fantastic as Ca...

Synopsis: After learning of her estranged father's death, single mother Callie moves to his rundown Oklahoma farm with her two kids, Trevor and Phoebe. The locals believe her father was an insane loner but, in reality, the former Ghostbuster was secretly working to save the world from destruction and, as evil begins to be unleashed, Trevor and Phoebe try to finish their grandfather's work with the help of their friends. Who's in it? The movie stars Mckenna Grace , Paul Rudd , Carrie Coon , Finn Wolfhard and Logan Kim Review: Thanks partly to COVID, it had been more than two years since I last watched a movie at the theater ( Zombieland: Doubletap ). However, after hearing the new Ghostbusters movie was finally out, I decided to put an end to that streak and attended it last night with my wife.  To be honest, I was a little skeptical about this movie. After all, the last attempt to reboot the franchise was a disaster (I still haven't managed to make it through that en...

Synopsis: Marshal Jim Cogan runs a small western town with an iron fist. When cowboy Dave Dunson gets in a scuffle with the marshal, he is thrown into jail with two wrongfully imprisoned men. With the help of a woman who has a tragic history with the marshal, the men get out of their cells but, after also being accused of robbing a stagecoach, the four must escape the murderous Cogan and his posse. Who's in it? The movie stars Jack Nicholson , Kent Taylor , Diana Darrin , Robert Sampson and Jody McCrea. Image courtesy of Pixabay Review: I came across this movie a couple days ago and, mostly because it had Jack Nicholson, I decided to add it to my library. I had time to watch it yesterday afternoon and it ended up being an enjoyable western. The overall plot was decent. It was fairly simple overall but with just enough twists to keep things from getting too predictable. I especially liked the twist involving the four of them being mistaken for stagecoach robbers. Had they simply...

Synopsis: This non-fiction book shares details of the various gun battles that took place in the American West, focusing both on outlaws and lawmen that either become legendary or were largely forgotten. Review: I came across this book at our local library a couple weeks ago and, even though it was a subject I didn't have much interest in, decided to check it out anyway. As it turns out, I enjoyed this book a lot more than expected. The author does a good job of mixing historical fact with storytelling, making it seem almost as though he was watching the gunbattles in person and making the various participants seem very much alive. This made the book a lot easier to read than if it was just a bunch of facts being written out on the page. I found I was impressed with the way the author also managed to be mostly unbiased when discussing the outlaws, focusing on their actions without necessarily painting them as heroes (as a lot of movies and books will do). In other words, even whe...

Synopsis: A group of young shopping mall employees decided to throw an after-hours party in one of the stores, not knowing three high-tech security robots have malfunctioned and started a killing spree. Unable to escape because of the mall's exits being locked down, the group must find a way to survive the night. Who's in it? The film stars Kelli Maroney , Tony O'Dell , Russell Todd , Karrie Emerson and Barbara Crampton. Review: My wife and I were in the mood for a classic slasher movie yesterday evening and, unable to find one we hadn't seen before, I wound up picking out this movie instead. I honestly had lowered expectations about this film and was half expecting to turn it off after a few minutes. However, it turned out to be a pretty decent film. The killer robot premise ended up being surprisingly good, mostly because the machines had a variety of ways to slay their victims. This made some of the scenes a little less predictable because you didn't know if ...

Synopsis: Harry Lynn, a talented but dimwitted semi-professional football player from a small town in Montana, is recruited to play for the Chicago Packers. He proves to be the real deal and has his team on the fast track for a national championship. However, his love life and a $5000 gambling debt threaten to derail him. Who's in it? The movie stars Bert Wheeler , Marie Wilson , Gloria Dickson , William Hopper and William Demarest . Synopsis: I came across this movie a couple days ago and, thinking it might be good for laugh or two, decided to watch it this morning before heading into the office. The movie, as it turns out, ended up exceeding my expectations. The love story between Harry (Wheeler) and his girlfriend, Maizie (Wilson), was actually pretty good, especially since it wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be. The part about him temporarily falling for another woman (Dickson) in Maizie's absence and nearly bringing an end to their relationship with an a...

 As I continue to re-watch episodes of M*A*S*H, I find myself joining the group of people who think the show wasn't as good after antagonist Maj. Frank Burns ( Larry Linville ) left the series following season 5. More importantly, my renewed interest in the classic series has made me realize Burns kind of got a raw deal while at the 4077th and, at minimum, was treated unfairly by those around him. Here are my reasons why: H e was a better surgeon than he was given credit for. Throughout his time on the series, Burns was constantly belittled about his surgical skills. However, while obviously not as good as Hawkeye Pierce ( Alan Alda ) and lacking a good bedside manner, there is really no evidence he was anything less than at least average in the operating room. Did he make mistakes? Of course, but you could also say the same thing about every other surgeon at the 4077th, including the God-like Pierce and, despite the ribbing from the other doctors, I didn't see anything that pr...

Synopsis: After being acquitted following the accidental burning of one of her classmates, Makani Young moves from Hawaii to a small town in Nebraska to finish her senior year of high school with her small group of newly-acquired friends. When a killer starts stalking students at her new school while wearing masks that look like the victims and revealing their darkest secrets to the entire town, Makani fears both her life and the past she has kept hidden are in danger. Who's in it? The movie stars Sydney Park , Theodore Pellerin , Asjha Cooper , Dale Whibley and Jesse LaTourette. Review: After several days of getting caught up on television shows, I convinced my wife to watch a movie with me yesterday evening. After discovering my first choice would be too long for a Thursday night, I looked for another option and ultimately picked this one out. At first, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this movie. Other than the killer wearing masks that looked like his/her victim...

As I continue my chronological re-watch of the series M*A*S*H , I find myself asking questions about the series I never thought to ask before. This includes "where did Frank Burns ( Larry Linville ) go when he lost command to Colonel Potter ( Harry Morgan )?" and "if Henry Blake ( McLean Stevenson ) was so loved, why wasn't his widow invited to the 4077th family party?" However, one unsolved mystery from the series really has stood out for me in particular - who was the thief? I am, of course, not referring to Ho-Jon ( Patrick Adiarte ), who was caught stealing in the season 1 episode I Hate a Mystery . Instead, I am referring to the thief (or gang of thieves) that strikes at various other times throughout the series, with the thefts including a camera, a bag of money, and even a wounded soldier's personal effects. While some of the items were eventually recovered, the thief was never caught. At first, it would be easy to assume the thief was an outsider. Af...

I've been spending a chunk of my free time re-watching episodes of the television series M*A*S*H in order. As I have done this and have been reminded of the various characters on the show (both starring and supporting), I've noticed several that had the potential to keep the series going in spin-off form. Yes, I am aware the show already had spin-off attempts, including AfterMASH and W*A*L*T*E*R (both failures). However, if used correctly, some of the characters mentioned below might have been successful. Nurse Meg Cratty - Even though she only appeared in two episodes and was played by two different actresses ( Hope Summers and Ann Doran ), the civilian nurse, who cared for pregnant Korean women and ran an orphanage, could have been a great subject for a spin-off series. The show, in addition to giving us a little more backstory about how she ended up in Korea doing what she did, could have focused on some of the challenges she faced - trying to find medical supplies and...

  Why does food cost so much? Did they start making it out of gold? I have never been one to buy in excess But now I'm starting to feel a bit pigeonholed. Hey, I get it, times are tough And, if they have a reason to raise prices, I shouldn't judge it. I just wonder if these people know I am shopping on a budget.                                                             Image by  Steve Buissinne  from  Pixabay Believe me, I've checked, Money doesn't grow on trees. If it did, maybe the sight of my weekly grocery receipts Wouldn't bring me to my knees. Beef, pork, poultry or fish, Why should my stomach be forced to choose just one? When you're on a budget, Shopping just isn't that much fun. Keeping track of the higher prices Is making me consider bringing a calculator Just so I can avoid the...

Synopsis: An architect and his wife are hired to conduct a survey of a "castle" built by an eccentric heiress in California after the tenant that had been leasing the property disappeared. While there, the couple notices some strange occurrences that begin to escalate when they are joined by an attorney and his unhappy wife. Who's in it? The movie stars Ron Foster , Merry Anders , Richard Crane , Erika Peters and Dal McKennon. Review: I don't remember when I added this film to my library, but came across it this morning while looking for something to watch and decided to give it a try. For the most part, the movie exceeded my expectations but, ultimately, wound up being a bit of a disappointment. Overall, I thought the premise was a good one. From the time the architect, Scott (Foster), and his wife, Nancy (Anders), arrived at the house, it was obvious there was someone there with them, starting with the dead end sign being replaced while they were gone. This ulti...

Synopsis: After killing her sister, Celia, in an argument, Dell Faring feels guilty when Celia's husband, David, is convicted of the murder but, fearing the electric chair, chooses to keep the truth to herself. When she learns Celia's young stepdaughter, Susan, witnessed the murder but has suppressed the memory because of the trauma, Dell does everything possible to prevent a psychiatrist from helping her niece, including trying to murder the girl. Who's in it? The movie stars Ann Sothern , Zachary Scott , Gigi Perreau , Nancy Davis and Kristine Miller. Review: I came across this movie yesterday morning and, thinking it looked interesting, decided to give it a watch. After finishing it last night, I have to say this movie more than met my expectations. The thing I think I liked most about this film was how Dell (Sothern) changes following her sister's (Miller) death. At first, she seemed like she was going to do the right thing and confess to the crime, even going a...

Synopsis: While on a row boat with her husband, John, Louise Haloran gets in an argument with him over his mother's will when he has a sudden heart attack and dies. Throwing his body overboard, she pretends he was called away on business and visits her mother-in-law's estate in Ireland in an effort to get her to change her mind. However, the woman's obession over her dead daughter and an axe-wielding killer bring an end to her plans. Who's in it? The movie stars William Campbell , Luana Anders , Patrick Magee , Mary Mitchel and Eithne Dunne . Review: I came across this film on one of my movie channels a couple days ago and, since it sounded interesting, decided to take the time to watch it. It wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be but it ended up being a fairly decent mystery film. The thing I liked about this movie was the way it managed to give off an eery vibe pretty much from the minute Louise (Anders) arrives at her husband's family estate. The fam...

Synopsis: Believing his granddaughter Wilma's many suitors are only after her inheritence, Peter Laxter summons attorney Perry Mason to his mansion in the middle of the night both write her out of his will an ensure his grandsons' inheritence is contingent on his long-time caretaker remaining employed and being allowed to keep his beloved cat. When Laxter dies in a mysterious fire, Mason agrees to investigate on behalf of the cat and ultimately ends up defending Wilma's boyfriend against three sets of murder charges. Who's in it? The movie stars Ricardo Cortez , Jane Bryan , June Travis , Garry Owen and Craig Reynolds. Review: I had this movie saved in my library for a few weeks but did not get around to watching it until yesterday, when I was waiting for my family to get ready for trick-or-treating. Other than the misleading title (the cat isn't black), it ended up being a good movie. The film is based on the book The Case of the Caretaker's Cat , which I...