Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Gotham City is facing a new villainous threat, Shredder and his Foot Clan have teamed with Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins to turn all Gotham's residents into mutants. As Batman attempts to save the day, he finds himself teaming with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. However, their alliance is threatened when the turtles prove to be too undisciplined for Batman. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Troy Baker, Eric Bauza, Tom Kenny , Tara Strong and John DiMaggio. Review: I was flipping through channels this morning, looking for something to watch (or at least provide some background noise) while I had breakfast and came across Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . While I rolled my eyes at first, I was also admittedly intrigued and decided to watch it.  It was about what I expected, and I mean that both in a good and bad way. I'll start out by saying the plot of the movie was surprisingly good. The team-up between Shredder (Andrew ...

Synopsis: Bernard, a low-ranking stable elf, strives to be one of Santa's inventor elves. However, when his latest invention causes a power outage, revealing the location of the North Pole, an unscrupulous heir to a delivery company takes Santa Claus hostage and demands to know how he is able to deliver presents around the world in just one day. Bernard, hoping to save Santa, uses the sleigh to travel back in time in an effort to correct his Christmas-altering mistake. Who's in it?  The animated film uses voices from Tim Curry , Ashley Tisdale, Martin Freeman, Tim Conway and Joan Collins. Review: I am still trying to get into the Christmas spirit with the holiday a couple weeks away and once again decided to watch a Christmas movie for my morning movie. It had been more than a decade since I last saw Saving Santa with my kids, so I gave it a try. It was as entertaining as I remembered. One of my biggest concerns about this film and animated films in general is it would turn ...

Synopsis: In an effort to calm her scared children, a mother squirrel decides to tell the story of a little mouse who travels through the woods in search of something to eat. When the mouse encounters three different predators, a fox, an owl and a snake, he avoids being eaten by scaring them with his description of the fictional Gruffalo. There's just one problem, the Gruffalo is real, and his favorite food is mouse. Who's in it?  The animated movie uses voices from Helena Bonham Carter , John Hurt , James Corden , Robbie Coltrane and Tom Wilkinson . You can read my review here:  Movie Review: The Gruffalo (2009)

Synopsis: Scooby, Shaggy and the rest of the mystery-solving gang win the five last seats on a brand-new passenger spaceship and take part in its inaugural flight around the moon. However, the trip is interrupted when an alien begins to dismantle the ship, forcing a moon landing. Adding to Mystery Incorporated's troubles is a growing rift between Daphne and Velma. Who's in it?  The animated movie uses voices from Frank Welker , Mindy Cohn , Matthew Lillard , Diedrich Bader and Mark Hamill . You can read my review here:  Movie Review: Scooby Doo! Moon Monster Madness (2015) _________________________________________________________ My Thoughts - Scooby Doo, Where Are You!: What a Night for a Knight (1969) Movie Review: Scooby Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery (2015) Movie Review: Scooby Doo and the Monster of Mexico (2003)

Synopsis: While solving a mystery in Gotham City, the Mystery Incorporated gang discovers they are being tested by Batman to see if they are good enough to be part of his Mystery Analysts team, alongside Martian Manhunter, Detective Chimp, Question, Black Canary and Plastic Man. During their first case, they encounter the Crimson Cloak, a mysterious villain that seems to be connected to one of Batman’s first cases, which was the only time he allowed an innocent person to die. Soon after, Mystery Inc. is framed for breaking into Gotham Chemical Storage and, with Batman’s assistance, they become fugitives while trying to help him solve the case. Who’s in it? The animated movie uses voices from Frank Welker , Grey Griffin , Matthew Lillard , Diedrich Bader and Tom Kenny . Review: I wanted to change things up a bit this morning and since my daughters never seem to have time to watch cartoons with me, I decided to watch Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold this morning. I...

Synopsis: A year after helping Marlin cross the ocean in search of Nemo, the forgetful Dory remembers she herself was separated from her parents as a child and was in search of them before meeting her new friends. With Marlin and Nemo's help, she once again crosses the ocean, to California, in search of them. Who's in it?  The animated movie stars Ellen DeGeneres , Albert Brooks , Ed O'Neill , Kaitlin Olson , Allison Janney , Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton . You can read my review here:  Movie Review: Finding Dory (2016) (wizzley.com)

Synopsis:  Two brothers, Mario and Luigi, are trying to start their own plumbing business despite everyone, including their father, telling them it is a mistake. While attempting to prove themselves by fixing a Brooklyn plumbing disaster, they are pulled into a mysterious pipe and are separated. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom, ruled by Princess Peach and in danger of being conquered by the evil Bowser, who also has Luigi as a prisoner. Mario wants to help the princess stop Bowser so he can be reunited with his brother but finds his small size and lack of fighting skills are an obstacle. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Chris Pratt , Jack Black ,  Anya Taylor-Joy ,  Keegan-Michael Key and Seth Rogan. Review: My wife and I thought about taking our kids to see this film when it was at the theaters but wound up doing something else instead. We finally had an opportunity to watch it as a family last night and, after seeing it, I'm kind of glad we didn't ...

Synopsis : When they discover their beloved television has been stolen, teenagers Beavis and Butt-Head go on a quest to find it. A case of mistaken identity leads to them being hired by a man looking to murder his wife and, when they accept (believing he wants them to sleep with her instead), they ultimately end up being the center of a nation-wide manhunt involving a stolen biological weapon. Who's in it?  The animated movie uses voices from Mike Judge , Bruce Willis , Demi Moore , Cloris Leachman and Robert Stack . You can read my review here:  Movie Review: Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996) (wizzley.com)

Synopsis: After finally being caught by the police, a gang of animal criminals tries to avoid prison by pretending to reform their ways. There's just one problem, their leader, Wolf, really does want to change. This leads to a rift between the friends when they are framed for stealing a famous meteorite. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from  Sam Rockwell ,  Marc Maron ,  Awkwafina , C raig Robinson and  Zazie Beetz . Review: I came across this film on Netflix a couple days ago and since I knew it was something my daughter wanted to see, saved it for our family movie night last night. Overall, it ended up being an OK movie but not one of my favorite animated films. I thought the premise of the film was decent albeit a little predictable. The idea of certain animals being judged by what they are is something that has been done before (Zootopia comes to mind) but it still worked, especially when you look at this as purely a movie meant for younger k...

Synopsis: When 13-year-old Toronto overachiever Meilin develops a crush on a 17-year-old store clerk, she learns of her family's "inconvenience," an ancient spell that turns the women into red pandas if they get too emotional. Her mother tells her she can be cured via a ritual performed on the night of the blood moon but only if she can control her emotions and keep the panda caged until then. However, when Meilin discovers her favorite boy band is coming to Toronto, she uses her panda form to earn money to buy tickets for her and her friends. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Rosalie Chiang , Sandra Oh , Ava Morse , Hyein Park and Orion Lee . Review: I sometimes forget I pay for Disney Plus because it's not a streaming service that normally carries films I want to watch. However, we postponed this week's family movie night from Tuesday to Friday and this was a film my daughter wanted to see. Overall, I have to admit it was better than expecte...

Synopsis: As part of Hotel Transylvania's 125th anniversary celebration, Dracula plans to announce his retirement and give the hotel to Mavis and Jonathan. However, Jonathan's overreaction to the news causes Dracula to have second thoughts and when he lies about the reason, claiming he can't leave the hotel to a non-monster, Jonathan gets help from Van Helsing to turn himself into one. This backfires when Dracula and his friends are accidentally turned human and the only way to reverse it is with a trip to the jungles of South America for a special crystal. Who's in it? The animated movie uses the voices of Andy Samberg , Selena Gomez , David Spade , Keegan-Michael Key and Brian Hull . Review: It was our family movie night and, since I came across this film on Amazon Prime a few days ago, decided to watch it. I wasn't too huge of a fan of the other Hotel Transylvania sequels and had quite a few doubts about this choice. However, it did turn out to be better than...

Synopsis: An already friendless Barney feels even more alone when he is the only kid at his middle school without a new B-bot, a robotic "buddy" created by the tech company Bubble that keeps the kids connected via social media. His dad buys him one that fell off the back of a truck but the unregistered B-bot, Ron, is unable to connect to Bubble's database and doesn't function properly as a result. While Barney tries to teach the robot how to be his friend, Bubble learns about Ron and tries to reclaim it so it can be destroyed. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from  Jack Dylan Grazer ,  Zach Galifianakis , Ed Helms , Olivia Colman and Rob Delaney . Review: I had honestly never even heard of this movie until my 13-year-old daughter convinced my wife to rent it from Redbox earlier today. I had some doubts when we watched it while eating lunch, but it turned out to be an entertaining movie. I think the thing I liked best about this movie is it wasn'...

Synopsis: Frustrated by her English homework, Judy dreams of abolishing the alphabet with the help of the Mad Hatter and the Jabberwock. However, Dr. Linguistics changes her mind. Who's in it? The movie stars Cheryl Callaway , Hans Conried , Frank Baxter , Cactus Mack and Daws Butler. Review: I came across this short movie last night while waiting for my wife and daughter to get back from martial arts classes. Since I had dinner already prepped, I decided to give it a try and it ended up being surprisingly good. I won't lie, parts of this movie are about as dated as you would expect, especially when referencing "primitive" cultures. There are also some scenes, like the one with the dancing letters, that seem a bit drug induced. However, there was also a lot to like about this film. I think the thing that impressed me was how the movie gives a fairly sound (albeit maybe missing more modern interpretations) explanation of language, including how it started, how huma...

Synopsis: In 1976, an 11-year-old Gru aspires to be a supervillain and thinks his dreams are about to come true when he receives an invite to interview for a position with the Vicious 6 crime team. When the team's leader, Bell Bottom, insults him, Gru tries to prove his worthiness by stealing a mystical stone from the group and, instead, finds his life in danger from both the Vicious 6 and their ex-leader Wild Knuckles and it is up to the Minions to save the day. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Steve Carrell , Danny Trejo , Alan Arkin , Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme . Review: My entire family is fans of the Minions/Despicable Me movies but, by the time I heard about this film, I had serious doubts about the quality. After all, even the best franchises grow stale after awhile.  That's why I didn't bother paying money to see this at the theater but did take advantage of being able to see it on Peacock. We did that last night and it turned ...

Synopsis: Mirabel, a Columbian teenager, is the only person in her family that doesn't possess a magical gift, making her somewhat of an outcast. When their magical family home begins showing cracks and some of her family members begin losing their powers, Mirabel is blamed. However, she might be the only person who can save the day. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Stephanie Beatriz , Maria Cecilia Botero , John Leguizamo , Jessica Darrow and Wilmer Valderrama . Review: My oldest daughter saw this at the movie theater with a friend and liked it so much, she insisted on watching it with us when it came to Disney Plus. After seeing it, I don't know if I would say it was my favorite Disney movie but will admit the film was better than I was expecting. I think the thing I liked most about this film is it wasn't as predictable as many other animated movies are. Part of this was the mystery about why Mirabel (Beatriz) was the one person who didn't hav...

Synopsis: With hundreds of cases solved, Mystery, Inc thinks it's time to solve mysteries professionally. However, the only way they can get financial backing is if the "weakest links," Shaggy and Scooby, are no longer part of the team. Disappointed, the two friends go bowling and, when they are attacked by an army of robots, end up helping the Blue Falcon stop villain Dick Dastardly. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Will Forte , Amanda Seyfried , Mark Wahlberg , Zac Efron and Jason Isaacs . Review: I must confess, I had a lot of doubts about another Scooby Doo reboot. But, since I thought it would be something my kids would enjoy, I wound up adding it to my Netflix DVD queue. We watched it for our family movie night last night, and the film greatly exceeded my expectations. There were a couple things, in particular, I found I liked about this movie. One of the main ones was the fairly decent origin story it offered both for Shaggy (Forte) and Scooby...

Synopsis: After having their wedding disrupted by a torch-bearing mob, Gomez and Morticia Addams move to New Jersey and make their home in an abandoned insane asylum, where they eventually raise a family. Thirteen years later, they face a new threat, a reality show host who sees the Addams home as a blight on her newly-remodeled perfect community and is willing to take extreme measures to protect her investment. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Oscar Isaac , Charlize Theron , Chloe Grace Moretz , Finn Wolfhard and Bette Midler . Review: When I first saw a trailer for this movie a few months ago, I thought it looked kind of dumb. However, the 1991 movie was a pleasant surprise and its sequel wasn't as bad as I thought it would be so, ultimately, I decided to give this animated film the benefit of the doubt and add it to my Netflix DVD queue. We watched the movie as a family last night and, as it turns out, I was right the first time. This was actually kind o...

Synopsis: Max absolutely adores Kate's new son, Liam and would do anything to protect him. But, when his overprotective nature results in anxiety, he must find a way to overcome it while visiting a farm. Meanwhile, Snowball attempts to rescue a baby tiger from a circus and Gidget pretends to be a cat in an effort to retrieve a lost toy. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Patton Oswalt , Kevin Hart , Harrison Ford , Eric Stonestreet and Jenny Slate . Review: After a hectic few weeks, we finally had time to have a family movie night this past weekend and, since we all enjoyed the first film, this was my pick. Unfortunately, while I fully expected this movie to not be as good as the original, I wasn't expecting it to worse to a point none of us enjoyed it very much. There were quite a few things I didn't like about this movie. The first was the fact there was just too much going on at once. It felt as though the writers originally intended this t...

Synopsis: When wealthy and spoiled Jesper deliberately tries to flunk out of the postal academy, his father assigns him to a remote town in the arctic with the task of posting 6000 letters in one year to avoid being cut off financially. Unfortunately for Jesper, the town is embroiled in a generations-long feud that has made the post office obsolete. However, he finds renewed hope when he convinces the town's children to send letters to a woodsman named Klaus in exchange for the toys he makes. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Jason Schwartzman , J. K. Simmons , Rashida Jones , Joan Cusack and Norm Macdonald . Review: My youngest daughter wanted to see our town's holiday parade yesterday evening but, since none of the rest of us was really all that interested in standing out in the cold, I convinced her to stay home with a bribe of hot chocolate and a Christmas movie. I had noticed this film on Netflix a few days ago and thought it looked interestin...

Synopsis: Feeling out of place and unwanted as one of Bonnie's toys, Woody struggles to find a role in his new child's life. As a result, when Bonnie is afraid to go to kindergarten, Woody sneaks along for the ride and winds up being the guardian for her new favorite plaything, Forky. This ultimately results in him going on a road trip with Bonnie and her parents, reuniting with an old friend and facing off with an antique doll that wants to steal his voice box. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Tom Hanks , Tim Allen , Annie Potts , Christina Hendricks and Tony Hale . Review: My youngest daughter's school was showing this film at its movie night last night and, since none of us were really interested in watching it while sitting on a gymnasium floor, my wife decided to just rent it from Red Box and have a family movie night at home instead. I wasn't a huge fan of Toy Story 3 , which I thought was a little dark (especially when the toys ne...