Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: From the time she was a little girl, Wong Liu Tsong wanted to be an actress and gets an opportunity to do so as a teenage when she is discovered while working as a movie extra. Going by the stage name Anna May Wong, she quickly rises to international fame. However, her Chinese American heritage and skin color continue to provide an obstacle to her dreams of being a leading lady who isn't typecast by racist Hollywood while her chosen profession creates a rift between her and her father. Review: To be perfectly honest, I had a lot of doubts about The Brightest Star when I reserved a copy of it through my local library. While I am, as I've mentioned in the past, a fan of old movies and Hollywood history, I wasn't sure what to expect from a book that is based on the life of a real celebrity but told in a way that even the author describes as fiction. Still, I gave it a shot while hiding indoors from the cold this weekend and it turned out to be a book I couldn'...

Synopsis: Shortly after her blind and wealthy husband is killed in an explosion, a woman starts seeing him in her dreams. When her dreams become more realistic, she begins to suspect both her deceased husband and a mysterious lover really are visiting her and enlists her husband's attorney to help her figure out the truth. Who's in it?  The movie stars Robert Taylor , Barbara Stanwyck , Judi Meredith, Hayden Rorke and Rochelle Hudson. Review: Everyone was still in bed this morning and it was too early/too cold so shovel snow so I decided to use my alone time to watch a movie. I recently came across The Night Walker again and since I didn't remember much about it, decided to give it another try. It turned out to be a good choice. Even though this movie is classified in the horror/thriller, I disagreed and wouldn't put it in that category The somewhat bizarre wedding scene was a little creepy, but the movie never reached a point where it was overly intense or even suspen...

Multiple reports state the Green Bay Packers have agreed to a multi-year extension with Head Coach Matt LaFleur, as well as General Manager Brian Gutekunst, choosing to make a renewed commitment to both despite the former losing to the division rival Chicago Bears in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs last week. Assuming the reports are true, speculation (and hope from some fans) about Matt LaFleur being fired or traded proved to be just that. Ultimately though, it was ultimately the most logical outcome for both the team and LaFleur himself. So logical in fact, we probably should never have doubted it. The idea of Green Bay parting with LaFleur because of a playoff loss always seemed knee jerk and out of character for a franchise that has had just 15 head coaches (not counting interim coaches) in its nearly 107-year history. It is a team that knows the value of patience and stability when it comes to coaches. At least in hindsight, it was kind of ridiculous to think they would be...

Synopsis: Four years after escaping and killing the Grabber, a 17-year-old Finn is struggling to feel normal again. Meanwhile, his sister, Gwen begins having dreams about their mom, three murdered boys and a campground at Alpine Lake. After convincing a reluctant Finn to go with her under the pretense of being counselors in training, the brother and sister, along with Gwen's boyfriend, Ernesto, soon find themselves snowed in by a blizzard and targeted by the Grabber's spirit, who is seeking revenge on Finn by targeting Gwen through her dreams. Who's in it? The movie stars Ethan Hawke , Mason Thames , Madeleine McGraw , Arianna Rivas and Jeremy Davies. Review: It's cold and snowy outside so my wife and I decided to just spend the day at home. After re-watching The Black Phone this afternoon, we made ourselves comfortable on the couch to watch Black Phone 2. I've said this before and I'll say it again, not every movie needs a sequel. This is a good example of ...

Synopsis: Mike Roark, the head of the Los Angeles Office of Emergency Management, has his vacation cut short when an earthquake triggers a volcanic eruption in the city. With no time to evacuate, Roark must find a way to stop or divert the steady stream of lava flowing freely through the city streets and the subway tunnels before thousands of people are killed. Who's in it? The movie stars Tommy Lee Jones , Anne Heche , Gaby Hoffmann, Don Cheadle , Jacqueline Kim and John Corbett. Review : I had an opportunity to watch Volcano again yesterday evening and, mostly because there wasn’t much else on at the time, I did just that. I had been a while since I had seen this particular film, and I didn’t remember that much about it other than not liking it as much as Dante's Peak . After re-watching it, I decided it was better than I recalled. I think if there is anything that makes this movie watchable, it is Tommy Lee Jones. He is an actor who is always at his strongest when playing...

Synopsis: Gabriel Noone is a successful gay radio talk show host but is in a funk because of relationship problems. He gets a bit of a boost when he talks over the phone to a dying 14-year-old fan who is about to publish an emotional book about his troubled past. However, when Gabriel begins to doubt the boy really exists, he becomes obsessed with finding proof. Who's in it? The movie stars Robin Williams, Toni Collette , Rory Culkin, Joe Morton and Bobby Cannavale. Review: Robin Williams was a comedy legend, but I've always thought he was equally as good in dramatic roles. So, when I came across The Night Listener again and realized it had been a long while since I last watched it, I decided to give it another try.  I wasn't disappointed. Williams brings a lot to the role of Gabriel Noone. It's a character that needs believable emotion and he pulls it off perfectly, with just the right mixture of over-the-top while not reaching a point it is too much. What really wo...