Steven Helmer Publications

My wife and I just finished watching the third season of The Traitors . With just one more to go (at least until there's another one), here are my thoughts: This season had a very bad group of Traitors. I mean, wow, they were partnered for what, a few hours, maybe a day, before they started backstabbing each other. Bob the Drag Queen (Christopher Caldwell) was flat out outed by fellow traitor Boston Rob (Mariano). Carolyn Wiger and Danielle Reyes painted targets on each other's backs while late recruit Britney Haynes all but confessed to being one with her reaction to Danielle being banished. It was like none of them wanted to win. Oh, and could they have been any louder during the coffin episode? Forcing the Traitors to commit one murder (or, in this case, a murder short-list) in plain sight is an intriguing twist to the show but in this case, it really felt as though they all should have been outed. There had to be a more intelligent way to pick three names than all of them d...

Synopsis: Twenty-five years after being defeated by a now-deceased Tory Redding, the Leprechaun is reborn. As he seeks out his gold, he discovers the North Dakota farm he once terrorized now belongs to an eco-conscious sorority and one of the sorority members is Tory's daughter, Lila, who believed her mother's stories about the Leprechaun were just the ravings of someone who was mentally ill. Who's in it? The movie stars Linden Porco, Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, Sai Bennett and Emilie Reid. Review: My wife and I decided to spend another Saturday night at home and, instead of going out, ordered a pizza, took a break from binge-watching The Traitors and found a movie to watch. After some consideration, I picked Leprechaun Returns . I made this choice with some reluctance. While we both liked Leprechaun , most of the sequels were just terrible and I had some serious doubts about yet another film that didn't even star Warwick Davis as the title character. However, thi...

Stormcloud has been at her station early this morning, guarding our house from the birds and, more importantly, squirrels that dare to visit the patio table bird feeder.  She's doing a great job. Not a single one of them has gotten in the house yet. ____________________________________________________________________ Here are some other cat photos: Just a Cat Photo Just Some Random Cat Photos Pizza Box Cat I Don't Know About that Cat

Synopsis: A giant, prehistoric ancestor of the praying mantis is released from an iceberg in the Arctic. After attacking a military-run early warning radar system, the bug flies south and attacks both New York City and Washington D. C. while military officials and scientists try to figure out a way to stop it. Who's in it?  The movie stars Craig Stevens, William Hopper , Alix Talton, Phil Harvey and Donald Randolph. Review : I like most classic monster movies, but giant bug movies are admittedly my favorite. So, since it had been nearly a decade since I last watched The Deadly Mantis , I decided to take time this morning to see it again.  My opinion of it was pretty much what I remembered it being the last time I saw it - It's a film with good things going for it but falls short of what it could be. The overall plot of the film is OK. Many movies like this have bugs that are abnormally large because of a science experiment or exposure to nuclear radiation but, in this case, ...

Synopsis: After experiencing back-to-back heartbreaks, Agatha Raisin is determined to avoid any sort of relationship with her new neighbor, Paul Chatterton. However, when Paul convinces her to investigate a reported haunted house, she readily accepts and soon finds herself falling for him - only to learn he is married. Any hopes of cutting Paul off completely is then dashed when Mrs. Witherspoon, the owner of the haunted home, dies under mysterious circumstances and Agatha finds herself involved in yet another murder investigation. Review: After taking a short break from Agatha Raisin mysteries, I checked Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House out from my local library and gave it a shot. While my opinion of the oft-heartbroken detective has remained mixed, I have enjoyed some of the more recent books more than the earlier ones. Unfortunately, this one proved to be more of a step backwards. There were things about the book I did like. For one, I was much more intrigued by Agatha's ...

I just learned today is the 32nd anniversary of us losing comedy legend John Candy (I honestly didn't realize it had been that long). He was a comedian I grew up watching and one of those actors who could steal the spotlight even in a minor role. So, to honor his memory, here are my five favorite John Candy movies. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) When someone mentions Candy, this is always the first movie that comes to mind. His Del Griffith character is funny, especially when paired up with Steve Martin 's Neal Page, but also manages to have a few surprises up his sleeve throughout the film as well. Spaceballs (1987) There are a ton of memorable characters in this Mel Brooks film, and I can't wait to see them in the long-awaited sequel, but Candy's half human/half dog character Barf is the one that arguably kicks this up a notch, whether it's from his various one-liners or the physical comedy. National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) Candy isn't the star o...