Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Born into poverty but with a gift for curiosity and engineering, Rudolf Diesel took full advantage of his unlikely opportunity for an education and used his gifts to invent, among other things, an engine that was a technological masterpiece, making him a millionaire. However, Diesel's rags-to-riches story ended with a mystery after he disappeared September 30, 1913. This non-fiction book tells his story, the story of those who were impactful in his life and the days following his disappearance. Review: I didn't have any books on hold the last time I was at the library so, after picking out one from an author I was familiar with and a second one that I later discovered I didn't like enough to even make it past the second chapter, I visited the non-fiction section. The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel stood out as I passed one of the shelves, so I figured I'd give it a try. It turned out to be an interesting read. To be honest, prior to reading this book, I d...

Synopsis: Even though his 8-year-old daughter, Noel, loves spending time with him, truck driver Larry Phillips is fearful her wealthy new stepdad, Victor, will eventually steal her away. Hoping the perfect Christmas gift will prevent that from happening, Larry reads Noel's letter to Santa and is determined to buy her the Harrison Bear she wants. However, Victor, who doesn't like the idea of coming in second to Larry, finds out about his plan and hires a henchman, Welling, to buy out all the bears first. Who's in it? The movie stars Larry the Cable Guy , Brian Stepanek, Eric Breker, Kennedi Clements and Lauren K. Robek. Review: I had completely forgotten someone made a sequel to the 1996 movie Jingle All the Way until my wife and I came across Jingle All the Way 2 yesterday afternoon. I wasn't really expecting a whole lot from this movie when we first started watching it and, as it turns out, those lowered expectations were justified. I'm not going to say this i...

Synopsis: College student Alma returns to Tonopah, Nevada and the world-famous Clown Motel in search of information that will help prove the land rightfully belongs to her Native American tribe, which had the land stolen in a massacre. While there, she ends up in the middle of an attempt at revenge by the remaining natives as they raise a spirit, the Chindi, to hunt down a group of bankers who prevented them from purchasing the motel while it was for sale. Who's in it? The movie stars Tobin Bell , James Chalke , Jonathan Champ, Juliana Destefano and Randy Couture.  Review: My wife and I were scrolling through movies on Amazon Prime earlier today and came across The Curse of the Clown Motel . It looked interesting, so we flagged it for later and ended up watching it this evening.  It was not a good choice. The best way to describe this movie is it was something that wasn't even close to what you'd expect from a supernatural horror film that takes place in a motel filled w...

Synopsis: With his hours at the factory cut back and his wife, Denise, starting a new job, money is tight for John Archibald and his family. When his son, Michael, collapses at a youth baseball game, doctors determine he needs a new heart. However, John learns his insurance company won't cover the $250,000 cost and the hospital won't even put Michael on the list unless he pays $75,000 up front. Despite his best efforts to raise the money, hospital administrator Rebecca Payne decides to send Michael home to die. Desperate to prevent that from happening and determined to force Payne to put Michael on the transplant list, John brings a gun to the hospital and takes both transplant surgeon Dr. Raymond Turner and the occupants of the emergency room hostage. Who's in it? The movie stars Denzel Washington , James Woods , Anne Heche, Robert Duvall, Eddie Griffin and Ray Liotta . Review: We didn't have any plans to go out last night and instead spent our Friday at home watchin...

Synopsis: Ed and Lorraine Warren are retired from paranormal investigating because of Ed's heart issues. However, after their long-time friend, Father Gordon, dies while trying to help a family, the Smurls, their 22-year-old daughter, Judy, who shares Lorraine's psychic gifts convinces them to help. However, as they conduct the investigation, they discover a link to their past and go face-to-face with the demon that nearly took Judy's life and is now seeking to finish the job. Who's in it? The movie stars Patrick Wilson , Vera Farmiga , Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy and Steve Coulter. Review: While I've never been a huge fan of The Conjuring movies, my wife is. So, when we came across The Conjuring: Last Rites on HBO Max this evening, we ended up watching it. After doing so, I have to say it was a good choice. I think the thing that impressed me most with this film is it was genuinely scary. Not to the point I will have nightmares or be afraid to walk into a dark roo...

  We are expecting a snowstorm tomorrow, so I went to the grocery store for some necessities (AKA cat food) just in case we got snowed in. While there, I figured I'd pick up something for lunch so we could save Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner and decided to finally give Ragu Frozen Pizza a try since it was on sale for $5.99. Overall, I'd say the pizza exceeded my expectations, though it did fall a bit short of being one of my favorite frozen pizza choices. We made it this afternoon as planned, and my wife and I were both impressed with the taste. The sauce had a good flavor while the pepperoni and sausage added a bit of spice without being too spicy.  I also liked the crust, which was the perfect balance of not being too thin while also not being too thick. This resulted in it having just the right amount of crispiness when making it with our pizza oven. My only real complaint about the pizza was the lack of toppings, both quantity and variety. Normally, if I hear the descri...