Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis : A team of documentary filmmakers, led by aspiring director Terri Flores, embarks on a boat trip down the Amazon River in search of a long-lost tribe. When they come across a stranded snake hunter, Paul Serone, they offer him a lift and accept his offer to help them find the tribe. However, when one of their own gets injured and needs medical attention, Serone uses it as an opportunity to take control of the boat and force the crew to help him capture a giant, man-eating anaconda.  Who's in it? The movie stars Jennifer Lopez , Jon Voight, Ice Cube, Eric Stoltz and Owen Wilson . Review: Despite Anaconda coming out when I was still in college and the movie having a remake come out nearly 30 years later, I realized I had never seen the film in its entirety. So, when I came across it on one of my movie channels last night, I decided to finally correct that. As it turns out, this movie was considerably better than I thought it was going to be. One of the reasons I never made ...

Synopsis: Mike Roark, the head of the Los Angeles Office of Emergency Management, has his vacation cut short when an earthquake triggers a volcanic eruption in the city. With no time to evacuate, Roark must find a way to stop or divert the steady stream of lava flowing freely through the city streets and the subway tunnels before thousands of people are killed. Who's in it? The movie stars Tommy Lee Jones , Anne Heche , Gaby Hoffmann, Don Cheadle , Jacqueline Kim and John Corbett. Review : I had an opportunity to watch Volcano again yesterday evening and, mostly because there wasn’t much else on at the time, I did just that. I had been a while since I had seen this particular film, and I didn’t remember that much about it other than not liking it as much as Dante's Peak . After re-watching it, I decided it was better than I recalled. I think if there is anything that makes this movie watchable, it is Tommy Lee Jones. He is an actor who is always at his strongest when playing...

Synopsis: While being transported to his execution, convicted serial killer Jack Frost is involved in an accident with a truck hauling an experimental chemical that causes his genetic material to become fused with the surrounding snow. Believed to have been killed, he returns as a snowman and begins a new killing spree while trying to get revenge on a smalltown sheriff, Sam, for arresting him. Who's in it? The movie stars Scott MacDonald , Christopher Allport , Stephen Mendel , Eileen Seeley and Shannon Elizabeth . Review: I was surprised to learn my wife had never seen Jack Frost and, since it had been several years since I last saw it, I decided to rectify that last night. After re-watching the movie, I can honestly say it was exactly as I remembered it. Even though it is a low-budget, straight-to-DVD film, the movie does have quite a bit going for it. For one, the practical effects aren't all that terrible for a movie that was made nearly 30 years ago. The filmmakers di...

Synopsis:  Andy McDermott travels to Paris with his friends, Brad and Chris and sneak onto the Eiffel Tower after hours so Andy can bungee jump off the side. As he is preparing to perform his stunt, an attractive woman, Serafine, attempts to commit suicide by jumping off the tower. Andy performs a miraculous save then tracks her down, hoping to find out more about her. Unfortunately for Andy, Seraphine is a werewolf and when he and his friends are invited to a party by one of her werewolf associates, Brad is killed and Andy is bitten, making him a werewolf too. Who's in it? The movie stars Tom Everett Scott , Julie Delpy ,  Vince Vieluf , Phil Buckman and Julie Bowen. Review: My wife and I watched An American Werewolf in London a couple nights ago and enjoyed it enough to give the sequel, An American Werewolf in Paris , a try. Since the two movies were made 16 years apart and I am skeptical of sequels to begin with, my expectations were set pretty low when we started watch...

Synopsis: After a new disease proves fatal for hundreds of children, entomologist Dr. Susan Tyler creates a new bug species designed to wipe out the cockroaches that are spreading the disease. The new species was supposed to have died out after one generation. However, three years later, she discovers the bug is still alive, has evolved, has grown and can now mimic humans. Who's in it? The movie stars Mira Sorvino , Jeremy Northam , Alexander Goodwin , Josh Brolin , Charles S. Dutton and Norman Reedus . Review: I came across this film (and the sequels) on one of our movie channels and, since it had been a while since I last watched it, I decided to record it. My wife and I ended up finishing it last night and I have to say the film is better than I remember. Bug-themed horror films are always a bit hit or miss. They can either be very creepy and make you feel like you have something crawling up your back. Or, the filmmakers can go a bit overboard, make the mistake of m...

Synopsis: After receiving a big bonus and time off at work, Clark Griswold surprises his family with a trip to Las Vegas, where he hopes to have one final vacation with his growing kids and re-marry his wife, Ellen. However, when Clark visits the casino and becomes obsessed with gambling, he risks losing his family as well as all their money. Who's in it? The movie stars Chevy Chase , Beverly D'Angelo , Randy Quaid , Ethan Embry and Marisol Nichols . Review: My wife, kids and I participated in a 4th of July parade yesterday and, after being in the hot sun (two of us walking the whole way) for a couple hours, we were ready to take a break when we got home. As we relaxed on our couch, eating lunch, my wife and I came across this movie and, even though we've seen it countless times before, decided to watch it again. As it turns out, it was a good choice. Other than the first film, this is my favorite of the Family Vacation movie franchise. This is mostly because, o...

Synopsis: Seven years after the spaceship Event Horizon went missing while attempting to explore the farthest parts of our solar system, it mysteriously returns and sends off a distress call. A crew is dispatched to locate and investigate the ship in an effort to find out what happened to the vessel and its crew. When they get there, they quickly learn they haven't been given the full story and must fight for their survival as a result. Who's in it? The movie stars Laurence Fishburne , Sam Neill , Joely Richardson , Sean Pertwee and Jason Isaacs . Review: I cam across this film on one of our movie channels a few days ago and, even though I knew my wife and I had watched it together several years ago, I decided to record it because I realized I couldn't remember much about it. We ended up watching the film Thursday and Friday nights and, overall, I thought it ended up being a good choice. I'm a huge fan of mysteries and this science fiction film proved to be ...