Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Moira Van Dean doesn't trust Fritz Mundt, the man who broke her husband, Pepper's leg and effectively ended his professional wrestling career, sending the couple into a financial spiral that had resulted in them living in poverty while working for a traveling carnival. However, after the carnival leaves them behind following a barroom altercation that leaves Pepper seriously injured, they have no choice other than to accept Mundt's offer to pay Pepper as a trainer for heavyweight wrestler, Garfield Taft for a potential match against heavyweight champion Strangler Lesko. Despite Taft's brashness, Pepper is up to the task but, as Moira feared, there are obstacles. The training camp in Montana is a front for a bootlegging ring and the only way Lesko's team will give Taft, who is Black, a title shot is if he agrees to throw the match. Plus, it is clear Taft is suffering the effects of some serious illness he won't disclose. Review: I'm not sure why, ...

It was a halfway decent day today, sunny without being super warm or humid, so my walk was a bit more pleasant than it has been. Plus, I had some company today. My wife was in her sewing studio (in the basement of the same building my office is in) so she joined me. Since she was wearing sandals, I avoided some of the trails I normally would check out. However, I still managed to get a few photos. Here are some of them: This wasn't the most cooperative butterfly, but I did manage to snap this photo when it took a short break from flying around. I almost didn't spot this blue heron from a distance against the backdrop but spotted it just in time to get a photo while it was hunting. This is the rock I normally see turtles on. They weren't there today, for obvious reasons. I haven't seen a lot of frogs this year but today, we had to avoid stepping on a couple of them. I grabbed this shot when one was hiding. _________________________________________________________________...

Synopsis: After being released from prison, conman Gabriel Caine and his partner, Fitz, travel to Diggstown, a town named after is most famous resident, boxer Charles Malcum Diggs. The town is run by Diggs' former manager, Charles Gillon, who secretly drugged his fighter to fix a fight and scam the residents out of their property, leaving Diggs in a vegetable-like state.  Caine gets Gillon to accept a wager, any 10 county residents versus 48-year-old retired boxer 'Honey' Roy Palmer. At first, it is just about the money but soon turns personal. Who's in it? The movie stars James Woods , Louis Gossett Jr., Oliver Platt, Heather Graham and Bruce Dern. Review: I remember watching Diggstown when I was a teenager but really didn't remember a whole lot about the movie, including what it was about. So, when I came across the film again, I decided to add it to my library and wound up watching it this morning.  I would now classify the movie as a forgotten favorite. The...

Synopsis: When his home planet of Eternia is attacked by an army led by the skull-faced villain, Skeletor, Prince Adam is tasked with protecting the Sword of Power and sent through a portal that takes him to the planet Earth. Fifteen years later, Adam is working in a human resources department while searching for the sword, which he lost along the way. When he finally finds it, he returns to his home planet with the help of his childhood friend, Teela and discovers the sword can turn him into a mighty warrior. However, that might not be enough to beat Skeletor. Who's in it? The movie stars  Nicholas Galitzine , Camila Mendes , Idris Elba , Jared Leto and Alison Brie. Review: While I know there are those who don't share this opinion, I think the 1987 version of Masters of the Universe isn't as bad as people say it is. Despite that, when I saw they were once again attempting to make a live-action version of the cartoon I grew up with, I was admittedly skeptical. However, ...

After having rain, or at least the chance of rain the past couple days, the weather finally cooperated enough for me to get back out with my camera at lunch. Between the overcast sky and visible humidity, I did have a few challenges with the photos being a bit darker than my editing skills could overcome. However, there were a few unique things this time around as well, offsetting that a bit. Here are some of the photos: I've taken quite a few green heron photos this year, but what can I say? They are very cooperative. I was a bit surprised this grey heron hung around the whole time I was walking to a spot I could get a clear photo of it. They are usually very skittish, and I fully expected it to let out a loud squawk and fly away. It was in the same spot when I got back to my car. I would have liked to have gotten a better photo of this hawk since I was standing quite some distance away when I took it. However, it flew off before I could get closer.  If you look closely at its leg...

Here are my thoughts from the Green Bay Packers 28-9 preseason loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last night: I am cautiously optimistic about kicker Trey Smack. I think you can forgive me for having a healthy dose of skepticism after they traded up to draft him in April, especially after the high turnover at that position since letting Mason Crosby walk following the 2022 season. However, so far, so good. Yes, it was just one game, and a preseason contest at that, but Smack was on the road in Pittsburgh and went 4-for-4 (with one being negated because of a penalty), including two from 58 yards. That's something he can hopefully build upon. It was hard to get a good read on the starting offense. Jordan Love and the rest of the starters have a history of getting off to a slow start and their lone drive in the game, which ended with a field goal, was restarted because of a penalty, and then ended with a field goal again, didn't do anything to change that narrative. However, since it...