Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: A 13-year-old boy, John, discovers an abandoned bunker in the woods behind his house. A couple days later, he drugs his family and leaves them stranded in the bunker. As they struggle to survive both starvation and the elements, John tries to live his life without them. Who's in it? The movie stars Charlie Shotwell , Michael C. Hall , Jennifer Ehle , Taissa Farmiga and Samantha LeBretton . Review: When I found this movie at the library and read the description, I didn't know if it would be a pleasant surprise or another dud. After watching it, I can confidently say this film falls into the "what the hell did I just watch" category. The premise of this movie isn't a terrible one and, because of that, the movie did seem like it would be interesting at first. John (Shotwell) seems to be relatively normal with a caring family. This made his obsession with that bunker and his decision to leave his family in it for several days out of character enough to m...

Synopsis : At the age of 18, Frank Sisson enlisted in the US Army and was shipped off to Europe to fight in World War II as part of an artillery unit serving under General George Patton. His autobiography gives details of that service. Review: I came across this book while at a bookstore a couple weeks ago. Since I wasn't sure if it would be something I'd enjoy, I left it on the shelf but, a couple days later, was able to find a copy at the local library. I finished the book last night and, overall, I'd have to say my opinion of it was a bit mixed. The book does have some intriguing information about World War II. The details he gives about General Patton weren't anything I didn't already know, especially since I've seen the movie Patton multiple times. However, some of the more personal details of what he experienced were fun to read. For example, the part about 650 men having to share four toilets isn't something you're going to find in your average ...

Synopsis: Gilligan ( Bob Denver ) reels in a World War II mine and accidentally starts its timing mechanism. Due to the island's underground gasses, there is no safe place to hide from the impending explosion. My Thoughts: The Professor's ( Russell Johnson ) raft idea is a good one, so why do the castaways give up on it so quickly? It's not even as though they lose the raft in this episode. Gilligan brings it safely ashore at the end and all they'd have to do is figure out how to make an anchor. Speaking of which does it need to be made out of metal? I kind of feel like there are a number of other ways they could make that anchor that would be just as effective and wouldn't require them to melt down all their personal belongings. Of course, this is where that gold they found would come in handy . Yeah, the previous episodes aren't supposed to matter on a series that rarely sticks to established facts/storylines. However, there was more than enough gold to make ...

Synopsis: When Horace Warren wants to pay Perry Mason $500 to attend a dinner party, the lawyer isn't interested but ultimately accepts because Della Street wants to go. Horace is concerned his wife, Lorna, is the victim of a blackmailer and wants Mason to size up the guests. He even agrees to let Paul Drake pose as a caterer so fingerprints can be collected. Mason ultimately tracks down the blackmailer but, before he can confront Collister Gideon, Horace is accused of murdering him. Review: As I near the end of this book series, I keep hoping I find one last gem that reminds me why I became a Perry Mason fan to begin with. Unfortunately, this book was yet another disappointment for me. There were two things I found I really didn't like about this book. One of the main ones was the fact it took until chapter 15 of a 22-chapter book for the murder to happen. Even under ideal circumstances, the murder investigation would have felt rushed. Even after the murder does occur, the f...

  I don't normally talk about apps, mostly because I really don't use a whole lot of them on my phone. However, this is one I've had for a while now and figured it was worth taking the time to mention. I've tried to use other shopping apps before, and the results were mixed. A lot of them promise big cash rewards, but they also require purchasing products that I wouldn't normally purchase and, sometimes, at stores I wouldn't normally shop at. That's one of the reasons why I like Fetch Rewards. With this app, any purchase I make/receipt scanned earns me points. If I get gas in my car, I get 25 points. If I stop for a fountain drink on my way to the office, it's worth 25 points. It doesn't matter where I shop, what I purchase or what I spend. The app does, however, have plenty of items that earn you bonus points. This includes things like Pepsi, Kleenex, McCain Potatoes and Meow Mix cat treats. Unlike many of the other apps I've used, a lot of thes...

Synopsis: A group of people suffering from nightmares travel to a remote mountain property to participate in a paid drug trial. When they arrive, they learn they are all dreaming about the same shark and their nightmares have a supernatural cause. Who's in it? The movie stars Tony Amendola , Bobby Campo , Rachel Brooke Smith , Lulu Jovovich and Caroline Cole . Review: I came across this movie a few weeks ago and finally was able to get my skeptical wife to watch it with me. Mostly because of the title, we both started the movie with lowered expectations but, overall, I do have to say it exceeded them. I originally thought this would be a shark-themed rip off of A Nightmare on Elm Street . However, while the movie obviously drew inspiration from that film and even had a couple scenes that were very similar, there was just enough difference in the plot to make the film somewhat unique. The idea of a supernatural shark that invades people's dreams because of a near-death experi...

Synopsis: Elizebeth Smith Friedman spent most of her life using her code breaking talents to help the United States government stop both foreign spies and organized crime gangs. However, both because of the classified nature of her work and her gender, many of her contributions went unrecognized. This biography tells her story. Review : As has been the case multiple times before, I didn't plan on getting this book when I went to my local library but decided to check it out after seeing it on one of the shelves on my way to the checkout counter. As it turns out, not only did I enjoy this book, I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. There were a couple things I found interesting about Elizebeth's life. One of the main ones were the numerous challenges she had to overcome. This included her first boss, who did everything in his power (including intercepting her mail) to prevent her from moving onto something better, the fact she was a working woman at a time when m...

Synopsis: When Linda Calhoun is concerned about her aunt, Lorraine Elmore, being romantically involved with Montrose Dewitt, Perry Mason recommends she talk to Paul Drake. However, he eventually decides to get involved and try to stop the aunt's impending wedding too. However, when Dewitt is murdered, Lorraine becomes the primary suspect and Mason, with the help of a young defense attorney, decides to defend her. Review: I haven't been overly impressed with many of the Perry Mason novels I've read and hoped this one would be one of the exceptions to that. Unfortunately, that didn't turn out to be the case. This book has the same problem as many other Perry Mason books I've read recently. Yes, there is evidence that connects the aunt to the murder but there is no reason why she should have been considered the only suspect. Both her niece's boyfriend (who Mason didn't like) and the aunt's business manager were at the hotel at the same time the body was f...

Synopsis: Twenty years after he retired as a black ops agent, Staley witnesses his wife's murder. When the police refuse to arrest one of the killers, calling him an unreliable witness, he and his former partner, Dennis, seek to get justice themselves and discover a conspiracy that goes all the way up to the governor. Who's in it? The movie stars John Travolta , Christopher Meloni , Amanda Schull , Sam Trammell and Asante Jones . Review: I came across this film a few weeks ago and added it to my streaming library. I wanted a movie to watch yesterday evening and, since it looked interesting, my wife and I gave it a try. Overall, it was a good choice. I think the thing I liked best about this movie is how it managed to keep things simple. Too many action movies make their plots overly complicated and are forced to spend too much time on exposition instead of actual action. This movie, in comparison, had just enough downtime between the action to fill the viewer in on the basi...

Synopsis: Police are baffled when several brides drop dead at the alter and their bodies are later stolen. Society columnist Patricia Hunter notices all the brides were wearing the same orchid with a peculiar odor and, with her editor's reluctant approval, researches the clue. Her investigation brings her to a mad scientist, who is using the (not dead) brides' glandular fluids to maintain his wife's beauty. Who's in it? The movie stars Bela Lugosi , Luana Walters , Tristram Coffin , Elizabeth Russell and Minerva Urecal . Review: I've known about this movie for some time now but never had an opportunity to watch it until this morning. At first, I wasn't sure what to think about it but it ended up being a good film. The movie probably could have used a little more of a mystery, especially when it came to how the brides were "killed" while exchanging vows at the altar. However, even without they mystery, it was an entertaining movie. This is especially ...

Synopsis: Francois Clemmons played the role of Officer Clemmons on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for 25 years and became a household name as a result. This autobiography tells the actor's life story, including the abuse he received as a child, his struggles due to racism and having to choose between his homosexuality and his career. Review: Since I, like many people, grew up watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood , I have been interested in reading this book ever since it first came out. I was finally able to get a copy of it through our library system and read it over the weekend. It did not disappoint. The thing that surprised me about this book was, even though the author's relationship with Fred Rogers was a big part of it, it ended up being only part of the story. Clemmons also chose to spend a great deal of time talking about his estranged relationship with his family (over his sexuality) and the people who filled in where they didn't, whether it was a family fr...

Synopsis: With her true crime radio program losing ratings due to a new time slot, Linda Buxton seeks to save her job by re-inventing the program. She starts by visiting a remote home owned by a scientist reportedly conducting unethical genetic experiments started by the Nazis. When she and her daughters arrive at the house, they discover the scientist has been killed by deadly alien spiders. Who's in it? The movie stars Nicola Wright , Sarah Alexandra Marks , Danielle Scott , Chelsea Greenwood and Kate Sandison .  Review: My wife borrowed this movie from her brother several days ago and I was hesitant to watch it because it sounded a bit too much like every other killer spider movie we've seen. We finally got around to watching it yesterday evening and it turns out I was wrong, it was considerably worse than every other killer spider movie we've seen. This movie was so terrible, I'm not even sure where to begin. As I mentioned to my wife, it reminded me of a Doctor...

Synopsis : A pair of up-and-coming country singers, Jordan and Leigh, hope to take their career to the next level by convincing their idol, Harper Dutch, one half of a popular sister dual from the 1990s, to perform a song with them. Harper seems interested but her erratic behavior concerns Jordan, especially when she finds evidence pointing toward Harper being a murderer. Who's in it? The movie stars Katey Sagal , Abby Quinn , Alexxis Lemire , Joshua Leonard and Shiloh Fernandez. Review: I added this movie to our streaming library a few days ago and, mostly because my wife and I love Katey Sagal, decided to watch it last night. I wasn't really sure if it would be worth our time but it ended up being a halfway decent thriller. I think the thing I liked most about this film was the way Sagal played Harper Dutch. While it was somewhat obvious she was emotionally disturbed, her outbursts were sporadic enough to make her somewhat scary, but not to the point where I couldn't u...

Synopsis: Harlow Bancroft comes to Perry Mason with a problem. He has received a blackmail letter and, believing someone has found out about his criminal past, is worried the blackmailer will ruin his stepdaughter, Rosena's, upcoming wedding. Mason agrees to help him out, even after learning the blackmailer actually has information about Rosena's fiancé's family. When things escalate and Bancroft's wife, Phyllis, is forced to shoot at one of the blackmailers in self-defense, Mason finds himself defending Phyllis against murder charges. Review: While I am determined to get through the remaining Perry Mason novels, I am finding many of the later mysteries just aren't as good as the others. Unfortunately, this book fell into that category. There are a couple things I found were disappointing about this book. One of the main ones is the title is very misleading. First, the stepdaughter isn't even the person hiding a secret, her future husband's family is and ...

Synopsis: When unpopular character actor, Myles Brent, is killed while filming a death scene, studio executives want to pass it off as accidental. However, screenwriter Franklyn Drew believes Brent was murdered and, despite the police wanting him to stay out of it, tries to figure out who the killer is. Who's in it? The movie stars David Manners , Adrienne Ames , Bela Lugosi , John Wray and Vince Barnett. Review: I came across this film on one of my movie channels a couple days ago and, even though the description didn't tell me a whole lot about it, decided to give it a try this morning. Overall, it ended up being a halfway decent murder mystery. I think the thing I liked best about this film was it was how there were no favorites as far as who killed Brent ( Edmund Burns ). There were a number of people on set at the time of his death, including some who would have wanted him killed, and it was timed in a way where just about anyone could have snuck in and fired the fatal...

Synopsis: Leilani and Jibran decide to end their 4-year-long relationship while driving to a friend's party. Distracted by the breakup, Jibran accidentally hits a man riding a bicycle. The bike rider refuses treatment and rides away, but another man, claiming to be a police officer, takes control of their car, runs the bike rider down and then flees. Believing the police won't believe their bizarre story, Leilani and Jibran also flee the scene and decide the only way they can stay out of prison is by finding the real killer. Who's in it? The movie stars  Issa Rae ,  Kumail Nanjiani ,  Paul Sparks ,  Anna Camp and  Kyle Bornheimer. Review: I had never even heard about this movie until my wife saw a preview for it and got it through our local library. She described it as being similar to one of our favorite films, Date Night , however I did have some doubts about it. As it turns out, while not as funny as Date Night , it was still better than expected. I think ...