Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: A group of Wild West settlers realize they made a mistake and decide they want to take a wagon train back to their hometowns in the east. They hire a cowboy with a checkered past to be their wagon trail master and, almost immediately, he makes decisions that cause them to question his leadership skills. To make matters worse, a businessman, worried about how news of the travelers’ journey will cause the profitable western land rush to taper off, decides to do everything he can to stop them. Who's in it?  The movie stars John Candy , Ed Lauter , Richard Lewis , Ellen Greene, Don Lake, Steve Eastin and Robin McKee. Review : It has been a long while since I’ve seen this movie (one of John Candy’s last films) and, to be honest, I wasn’t really making much of an effort to find time to watch it. However, I had a chance to do just that last night while waiting for the kids to get ready for bed and my wife to get her shower out of the way before watching another film with her....

Synopsis: A once-struggling magician, Charles "Corky" Williams, finds success after adding a risqué-talking ventriloquist dummy, Fats, to his act. Just as he is about to get his best break ever, a television series, Corky sabotages the deal by refusing to take a physical and instead flees the city to his hometown in the Catskills, renting a cabin from his high school crush, Peggy. Despite Peggy being married, they end up having an affair and she seems ready to leave her husband for him. However, it soon becomes apparent Fats is more than just a prop for Corky's act and is instead a manifestation of a second, domineering and sometimes violent personality. Who's in it? The movie stars Anthony Hopkins , Ann-Margaret , Burgess Meredith , Ed Lauter and David Ogden Stiers . Review: I remember first seeing the film Magic on display at a video rental store (remember those?). However, despite the movie being out for nearly 30 years, I never took the time to watch the film ...

Synopsis: Disgraced former professional quarterback Paul “Wrecking” Crewe is sentenced to 18 months in prison. The prison’s football-crazed warden convinces Crewe to form a team made up of prisoners so his semi-professional guard team can play an exhibition game against them in preparation for their upcoming season. However, when he realizes Crewe’s team may actually be better than the guards’ team, the warden puts pressure on Crewe to throw the game. Who's in it?  The movie stars Burt Reynolds , Eddie Albert , Ed Lauter , James Hampton , Harry Caesar , Charles Tyner , Bernadette Peters and Ray Nitschke . You can read my review of The Longest Yard here:  Movie Review: The Longest Yard (1974) (wizzley.com)

Synopsis: A Secret Service agent goes undercover as an arsonist/murderer and allows himself to be captured so he can secure passage on a government train. The train is supposed to be delivering fresh troops, medicine and supplies to a frontier outpost that is reportedly suffering from a diphtheria outbreak. However, when one of the passengers, a doctor, is found murdered and other passengers either disappear or die in suspicious accidents, it becomes apparent there is some sort of conspiracy on board the train. It is up to the agent to figure out who is behind it and who he can trust. Who's in it? The movie stars Charles Bronson , Ben Johnson , Jill Ireland , Ed Lauter and Richard Crenna . Review: I came across this film on one of our movie channels several days ago and, mostly because it had been a while since I watched a Charles Bronson film, I decided to record what I thought had the potential to be a good western/mystery. I finally had a chance to watch the movie ye...