Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: While driving to his in-laws on Christmas Eve with his wife, two kids and his daughter's boyfriend in the car, Frank Harrington decides to get off the interstate and take the scenic route. However, after he falls asleep at the wheel and nearly gets in an accident, they pass a woman with a baby on the side of the road and give her a ride, only to start dying one-by-one while traveling on a seemingly endless road. Who's in it? The movie stars Ray Wise , Lin Shaye , Mick Cain , Alexandra Holden and Amber Smith . Review: I was in the mood for a horror movie or thriller and came across this one on Amazon Prime. I had some doubts about the film, but it turned out to be better than expected. To be honest, the movie was kind of predictable. It didn't take a whole lot of imagination to figure out why they seemed to be on a road that didn't end and/or why they died one by one only to have a hearse drive off with them. In fact, it is basically the same plot as other m...

Synopsis: The night before her husband returns home from a business trip, Chris Hunter stabs a man to death in her house. She claims he was a stranger trying to steal her jewelry. However, evidence points to that story being a lie and as further details emerge, her motive for stabbing the man is brought into doubt. Who's in it? The movie stars Ann Sheridan , Lew Ayres , Zachary Scott , Eve Arden and Jerome Cowan . Review: I've had this movie saved in my library for a few weeks and finally got around to watching it this morning, when I couldn't find anything else to watch. At first, I didn't know if I would enjoy it, but it turned out to be an interesting and entertaining. I especially liked how the nature of the relationship Chris (Sheridan) had with the victim was kept a secret throughout the majority of the movie. It was clear she lied about not knowing him and I suspected her revised story, about him stalking her after she agreed to let him create a sculpture of ...

Synopsis: Aspiring novelist Clint takes a substitute teacher job at his hometown elementary school the day after contaminated chicken nuggets were served for lunch. His bad first day turns worse when one of his students bites a classmate and the school quickly becomes infected with a virus that turns the students into flesh-eating zombies. Who's in it? The movie stars Elijah Wood , Rainn Wilson , Alison Pill , Jack McBrayer and Cooper Roth . Review: This has been a movie my wife has wanted to see since watching a trailer for it a couple years ago. Part of this is because she's a teacher's assistant and could relate to some of the things she saw, and the other is we both enjoy a good zombie movie. We finally had a chance to watch it tonight and weren't disappointed. This is one of those movies that could have been very bad. I say that because the disease only affected kids and that meant, to survive, the heroes would need to kill kids. In an era with school violence,...

Synopsis: Back in 1986, Adelaide becomes separated from her parents at a carnival at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and wanders into a funhouse where she is traumatized by a reflection that seemingly comes to life. More than 30 years later, she returns to the area on a vacation with her husband and kids when a group of doppelgangers attacks them at their cabin. Who's in it? The movie stars  Lupita Nyong'o ,  Winston Duke ,  Elisabeth Moss ,  Tim Heidecker and  Shahadi Wright Joseph .  Review: My wife and I both like Jordan Peele movies and this one has been on our list for some time as a result. We finally got around to watching it tonight and it didn't disappoint. There were a number of ways this movie could have gone and one of those ways was it could have turned out to be very dull. That fortunately turned out not to be the case and instead, the film was both entertaining and creepy. I think the thing that I liked most about this film was the mystery ...

Synopsis: Despite showing improvement after solving his wife, Trudy's murder, the pandemic caused Adrian Monk to regress, and he now plans on killing himself after Trudy's daughter, Molly, is married. However, a day before the wedding, Molly's fiancé, Griffin is killed while bungee jumping. While a coroner's inquiry determined it was an accident, Molly believes Griffin was killed by Rick Eden, a billionaire and wannabe astronaut Griffin was about to expose for murder. Even though he isn't convinced by Molly's theory, he delays his suicide so he can investigate and bring her closure. Who's in it? The movie stars Tony Shalhoub , Traylor Howard , Ted Levine , James Purefoy and Caitlin McGee. Review: I used to be a huge fan of the television series Monk and still occasionally watch reruns when I can't find anything else on TV. So, when I heard there was going to be a movie based on the series, I was intrigued albeit a bit skeptical. I finally had a chan...

Synopsis: Five years after a fatal incident involving the accidental release of prehistoric megalodon, research of the Mariana Trench continues. While following a group of megalodon to their breeding area, Jonas Taylor and his team discover a secret and illegal mining operation and soon find themselves in danger both from the creatures in the trench and the people determined to keep the mining operation secret. Who's in it? The movie stars Jason Stratham , Jing Wu ,  Shuya Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy and  Skyler Samuels. Review: My wife and I both enjoyed the first movie more than expected so when I heard there was going to be a sequel, I wanted to see it at the theater on the big screen. That didn't happen because of scheduling conflicts but after finally seeing it tonight, I am kind of glad about that. This is one of those movies that wasn't terrible but also wasn't anywhere near as good as the original. I think a big part of the reason why that was the case was th...

 My thoughts from the Green Bay Packers' 33-30 win over the Carolina Panthers earlier today: This was a little too close for comfort. It was essentially a repeat of last week's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers only with a win rather than a loss. The offense played well, the special teams didn't have any game-changing mistakes, but the defense was once again a liability. In fact, if it wasn't for some great clock management by the offense on the final scoring drive, there's no reason to believe the defense could have prevented the Panthers from tying or winning. I know there are benefits to being in the booth but after seeing Matt LaFleur lighting up Devonte Wyatt following his second offsides penalty, I have a hard time believing the defense wouldn't be better with Joe Barry on the sidelines, where he can be part of the action. That said, part of me wonders if maybe things have deteriorated to the point LaFleur wants to keep him as far away as possible. I...

Synopsis: Bonnie Parker likes to shop, both for her clients and for herself. A few days before Christmas, she gains a new customer, contractor Patrick Armstrong, a widower who is too busy to shop for his clients, employees and daughter. Bonnie finds Patrick to be stubborn and difficult but after bonding with his daughter, Phebe, her new client starts to grow on her. However, there is one obstacle to romance, a music teacher who has her eyes on Patrick as well. Who's in it? The movie stars Meghan Ory ,  Christopher Russell ,  Aria Publicover ,  Ellie Cluett and  Henry Keefe.  Review: I decided to find a Christmas movie for my wife and I to watch while waiting for our oldest daughter to get done with work last night. After reviewing a few different choices from Hallmark, she picked this one. And overall, it turned out to be a good choice. The plot itself was somewhat predictable, as is usually the case with movies like this (most of them have the same basic plo...

Synopsis : After killing more than 200 people, Jason Voorhees is finally captured by the government and is being held in a secret research facility. He manages to escape custody and kills everyone inside the facility except for a government scientist who lures him into a cryogenic chamber before freezing him and herself. Nearly 450 years later, their frozen bodies are discovered by a team of archaeologists exploring the now-abandoned Earth and brought on board their spaceship where Jason once again rises from the dead and goes on a killing spree. Who's in it?  The movie stars Kane Hodder , Lexa Doig , David Cronenberg , Markus Parilo and Lisa Ryder. You can read my review here:  Movie Review: Jason X (2001) (wizzley.com)

 My thoughts from today's 34-20 Green Bay Packers' loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm not the type of guy who normally calls for a coach firing. However, I think that conversation needs to be had about Packers' defensive coordinator Joe Barry with a change happening before the end of the season. The team has invested way too much on the defensive side of the ball for it to be gashed for big gains as many times as it has been the past couple weeks. Obviously, not all of this is Barry's fault. A coordinator's job is to get the players in a position to make a play and the rest is on them. However, how many times did linebacker De'Vondre Campbell need to get burned by wide receiver Chris Godwin before someone says, "maybe we shouldn't have him covering that guy?" At least the offense seems to be bouncing back. Last week was awful and the type of thing that could cause a downward spiral with a young team. However, other than a couple throws, Jo...

Synopsis: Still mourning the loss of her mother, Renée's life is in a rut but she's reluctant to listen to her husband Aaron's suggestion they sell her mom's house, move back to New York and start a business and family together. When her car breaks down after work, she makes a Christmas wish for a new life and wakes up in a world where her mother is still alive, and she is the CEO of a successful company. There is just one problem, her and Aaron aren't married and haven't spoken in five years. Who's in it? The movie stars  Vanessa Lengies ,  Corey Sevier ,  Paula Boudreau ,  Kimberly-Ann Truong and  Miguel Rivas .  Review: My wife had a bit of a bad day yesterday and didn't accomplish what she wanted to do. So, while I made dinner, I suggested she make herself a stiff drink and pick out a movie for us to watch. This was her choice and it ended up being the best part of her day. The overall premise isn't anything overly unique. In fact, I'm pre...

Synopsis: Broadcast journalist Avery dreams of getting out from under her successful mom's shadow and becoming a news anchor but her bosses don't think she's ready. However, when the weekend anchor comes down sick at Christmas, Avery is given an opportunity. There's just one problem, she needs to be at work before 5 a.m. and isn't able to get to sleep because she catches Chris, a man claiming to be Santa Claus, in her house. Believing he is the infamous Santa Claus robber, who has been burglarizing homes in the area, she attempts to turn Chris into the police, only to learn he's telling the truth and there is more to the burglaries than meets the eye, the latter being a scoop that could make her career. Who's in it? The movie stars  Italia Ricci ,  Luke Macfarlane ,  Katerina Maria ,  Michael Barbuto and Samantha Brown. Review: I added this Hallmark Christmas movie to my library because it seemed somewhat unique compared to the majority of them and after...

Synopsis: Despite spending the past four Christmases away from her family following her father's death to focus on her career as a New York fashion designer, Charlotte is barely making ends meet. Things go from bad to worse when a water pipe burst shuts down her boutique and destroys most of her hand-sewn inventory. Charlotte catches a break when she is offered a chance to enter a contest and design matching male/female Christmas outfits and needing a place to work with her apartment (located above her business) without running water, reluctantly returns home. There, she meets Spencer, a widowed mechanic who serves as her muse but as she falls in love with him, also complicates her life. Who's in it? The movie stars Rebecca Dalton , Jonathan Keltz ,  Joanna Douglas ,  Susan Hamann ,  Debra Hale. Review: My wife and I had some extra time yesterday evening and, since we are between television shows to binge watch, I looked for another Christmas movie. This one sounded in...

Synopsis: A year after their wedding, Grace and Chance Charles celebrate their anniversary with friends while simultaneously saying goodbye before moving to Spain. However, various personality clashes result in more arguments than celebrations and the fun comes to a screeching halt when Chance accidentally cuts off a finger during a game of Truth or Dare. Things go from bad to worse when Chance disappears, and someone starts killing the party guests. Who's in it? The movie stars  Chris Chalk ,  K.D. Chalk ,  Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut ,  Eden Marryshow and  Cesa Pledger . Review: I decided to change things up a bit and instead of a Christmas movie, went with this film, which has been in my library for a few weeks. The description made it sound like a reasonably watchable slasher movie. Instead, it was a film that was almost painful to watch. What is it with filmmakers/writers who create slasher movie characters that are only not likeable, they are insufferable. ...

 My thoughts from last night's 24-22 Green Bay Packers' loss to the New York Giants: Don't think of it as a loss. Think of it as a learning experience, and not just for the team. I think fans (me included) were clearly a little too quick to crown this year's Packers' squad as playoff worthy. That may still prove to be the case with four games left on the schedule but for the time being, fans need to take the team at face value - talented enough to get a win against the top teams in the league but still inexperienced/inconsistent enough to lose the games they are expected to win. The offensive struggles seemed to be more about execution than game planning.  There were open receivers. Jordan Love just couldn't get on the same page with them. Plus, the turnovers and negative yardage plays (like the screen pass that lost 10 yards) didn't do them any favors. This is to be expected with a young team though. Teams are learning how to attack Love in the pocket and ...

Overall, I have enjoyed good health most of my life but my recent physical revealed my blood pressure, while not of an immediate concern, has reached a level where it could cause long-term problems. Choosing not to put me on a pill for it just yet (one of the reasons why I like my doctor), I was instructed to make some lifestyle changes, including going on the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. I'm going to admit, I wasn't a big fan of this at first but after just one week, am noticing results, both with my blood pressure and weight. And in that first week, I learned a few things that will hopefully help me stick with it. Image courtesy of Pixabay First, pay attention to the labels and be ready for "sticker shock." The funny thing is, I was already doing this, but must not have been paying close attention to things like sodium levels. Now that I've been more careful about it, I have been downright flabbergasted by what I discovered. Things I tho...

Synopsis: Frustrated with the growing greed at Christmas, Santa Claus has become a shell of his former self, drinking heavily and just going through the motions as he delivers presents to the few remaining children on his nice list. While making a delivery at a mansion owned by Gertrude Lightstone for her granddaughter, Trudy, Santa falls asleep in a chair and is awoken by the sound of gunfire and attacked by one of a group of men attempting to steal $300 million hidden in a safe inside the mansion. He fends off the attacker, but his reindeer fly away, leaving him stranded. When he attempts to escape on foot, he realizes Trudy and her family are in danger and decides to stay to help, calling upon his previous life as a warrior. Who's in it? The movie stars David Harbour , Beverly D'Angelo , Leah Brady ,  John Leguizamo and Alex Hassell . Review: Mixing the Christmas holiday with action/thriller movies isn't a new concept. And more often than not, it doesn't mesh as ...

  My doctor put me on the DASH diet last week which in itself isn't a horrible thing, but I've had a heck of a time finding low-sodium alternatives to my favorite foods (something that is more than a little surprising considering there is a very large senior citizen population in this town). One of those foods is pizza. I thought if I made the pizza myself, it would make it easier to keep the sodium levels lower. That, at first, didn't seem to be the case and I was about to figure out something else for dinner when I came across this product in a special display. Every other canned pizza sauce I looked at had around 200 mg of sodium per serving. Casa Visco had just 25 mg. It was a significant enough difference for me to make the pizza and still keep my overall sodium within acceptable levels. In fact, I was even able to add a small amount of turkey sausage as one of the toppings. What was even more impressive was the flavor. I was worried the lack of salt would mean this w...

Synopsis : A 1960s flower shop employee named Seymour discovers a strange, alien plant and places it in the shop window. His discovery leads to instant fame and the potential to earn lots of money for the first time in his life. However, there’s just one catch. The plant wants human blood and, as it grows larger, its appetite continues to grow too. And, when Seymour discovers its sinister ulterior motive, he must choose between the money and doing the right thing. Who's in it?  The movie stars Rick Moranis , Ellen Greene , Steve Martin , Vincent Gardenia and Levi Stubbs (as the voice of Audrey II). You can read my review here:  Movie Review: Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (wizzley.com)

Synopsis: The movie His Merry Wife has been a beloved holiday classic for 75 years and screenwriter Lucy Hargrove receives her first big break by being asked to write the remake. However, her "more realistic" ending doesn't impress the remake's producer and he sends Lucy to the historic Biltmore House, the hotel where the original was filmed, for inspiration. While on a tour of the building, Lucy turns over the antique hourglass that was featured in the movie and finds herself transported back in time to when His Merry Wife  was being made. When the hourglass is broken, her return to the present day is put in jeopardy. Who's in it? The movie stars Bethany Joy Lenz ,  Kristoffer Polaha ,  Colton Little , Annabelle Borke and Jonathan Frakes . Review: After touring the Christmas light display in a nearby park, I was in the mood for another Christmas movie last night. This Hallmark film seemed intriguing, at least from the previews, so we gave it a try. While it wa...

 My thoughts from last night's Green Bay Packers' 27-19 win over the Kansas City Chiefs: Green Bay is giving a new definition to the term "rebuild." The Packers, like most teams, might not have used that word but that's what this season was supposed to be. The willingness to part ways with a veteran player like Rasul Douglas mid-season is evidence of that. However, Green Bay is proving a rebuild year doesn't need to mean you finish near the bottom in the league. If the season ended today, they'd be in the playoffs with two key wins that should make the higher seeded teams a bit nervous. Jordan Love for League MVP? OK, this is admittedly an overreaction from the Packers reaching .500 on the season. Or is it? Statistically, he's right up there with the MVP favorites and he's putting up those numbers with rookie and second year receivers. If the Packers finish the year in the playoffs, I think he needs to at least be in the conversation. I mean, did...

Synopsis: A year after regaining her Christmas spirit at Evergreen Lane, Emily is helping her boyfriend, Jared plan the annual Christmas activities while Jared secretly makes plans to propose to her. However, their plans are disrupted when the Jolly Johnsons, a famous reality television family, moves to the neighborhood and immediately try to take over the holiday planning, eventually pitting neighbor against neighbor. Who's in it? The movie stars Lacey Chabert , Wes Brown , Melissa Peterman , Seth Morris and Jennifer Aspen. Review: Hallmark Christmas movies, by their very nature, have a one-and-done feel to them. So, when I saw there was a sequel to a movie that I wasn't overly impressed with, I had a lot of doubts. However, it still starred Lacey Chabert and, as I've said, my wife and I are big fans, so we gave it a try anyway. As it turns out, my first instincts about this movie were correct. I think the biggest problem I had with this movie is, much like the first ...

Synopsis: On her 18th birthday, defiant Kay Allyn tries to marry her fiancé Jack Pierson, much to the chagrin of her father, J. C., who is president of an advertising firm and knows his daughter is just trying to get married to spite him. With the help of drifter Bruce "Butch" Baeder, the wedding is broken up and J. C. keeps Baeder around to make it difficult for Kay to sneak off to marry Jack by pretending to be Kay's husband. Kay, in turn, tries to outwit both of them by playing along with the charade. Who's in it? The movie stars Craig Reynolds , Ann Sheridan , William Hopper , Anne Nagel and Hugh O'Connell. Review: I've had this movie in my library for some time now and started watching it once or twice before turning it off after a few minutes. I finally got around to watching it in its entirety and it turned out to be better than expected. I will warn you; this movie is definitely dated. Yeah, most movies from this era are, especially when it comes t...