Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: After his mother dies, a young Craig Poole is hired by the wealthy John Harrigan to read to him three times per week along with various other chores, a job Crag continues into his teen years because he begins to consider Harrigan a friend and mentor. When Harrigan dies, Craig places the smart phone he had purchased for the elderly man in the coffin with him and, after receiving an $800,000 inheritance, calls the phone to leave a thank you message on the voice mail. The next morning, he receives a text message from Harrigan, which is becomes convinced is just a hacker or a glitch. However, when he calls the phone again, to complain about a bully at school, Craig begins to believe it might be something more after that bully is found dead the next day. Who's in it? The movie stars Jaeden Martell , Donald Sutherland , Joe Tippett , Colin O'Brien and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. Review: I let my wife pick out a movie for us to watch last night and after scrolling through sev...

Synopsis: Decades after avoiding a forced wedding to the demonic Betelgeuse, Lydia Deetz is a widowed mother of a teenager and famous host of a paranormal talk show. When she learns her father, Charles, has been killed in a shark attack, she, her stepmother, Delia, and her teenage daughter, Astrid, return to her former home in Winter River, Connecticut for the funeral and Lydia soon discovers Betelgeuse is still around and still seeking to marry her, this time to escape the soul-sucking ghost of his first wife, Delores. Who's in it? The movie stars Winona Ryder , Michael Keaton , Jenna Ortega , Catherine O'Hara and Willem Dafoe . Review: When I first learned they were going to release a sequel to Beetlejuice 36 years after it first came out, I had a lot of doubts about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and decided I wasn't going to risk my money watching it at the theater. My wife and I finally got around to watching it tonight, now that it is available on Netflix and, while I ...

Synopsis: In 1795, Catherine marries Charles Fengriffin and moves into his family estate. Almost immediately after arriving, she begins having strange encounters, including being attacked by a severed hand on her wedding night and seeing the apparition of a horribly disfigured man. She becomes convinced her life is in danger, especially after she becomes pregnant. However, her husband, who clearly knows something, won't answer her questions and anyone who tries to help her winds up dead, slowly driving her insane. Who's in it? The movie stars Stephanie Beacham , Peter Cushing , Ian Ogilvy , Geoffrey Whitehead and Sally Harrison . Review: I added And Now the Screaming Starts! to my library a couple weeks ago, mostly because it sounded intriguing. I finally got around to watching it this morning and, while it wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be, it still ended up being a halfway decent choice. From the description about a sentient severed hand, I figured this would ...

Synopsis: After a priest steals his gold to finance a Los Angeles youth center, a leprechaun confronts the man of the cloth in the center's construction zone and is defeated with holy water containing four-leaf clovers, but not before the priest is also killed. A year later, while holding a barbecue at the now-abandoned site, Emily Woodrow falls through a hole and finds the gold. She and her friends immediately begin spending it only to find themselves stalked by the resurrected leprechaun. Who's in it? The movie stars Warwick Davis , Tangi Miller , Laz Alonso , Page Kennedy and Sherrie Jackson. Review: After mostly negative feelings following the first five Leprechaun movies (especially the sequels), I hadn't planned on watching  Leprechaun 6: Back 2 Tha Hood . However, the movie my wife and I wanted to watch yesterday evening turned out to be unavailable and since we had no other readily available alternatives, I decided to bite the bullet and finish up the movie ser...

Synopsis: Raven agrees to travel to England, pose as a student at a British boarding school and locate a hidden room containing the Jack-in-the-box that houses a deadly demon so she can hand it over to a collector who has agreed to pay off her father's debts before he is killed. Despite the prison-like atmosphere of the all-girl school, Raven manages to complete the first part of the task. However, before she can leave with the box, someone turns the handle and releases the demon, which immediately begins collecting six souls. Who's in it? The movie stars  Isabella Colby Browne ,  Nicholas Anscombe , Leona Clarke , Anna Blackburn and Jade Groves . Review: After watching binge watching the first four Leprechaun movies earlier this week, I was in the mood for something different and when I saw Amazon Prime had The Jack in the Box Rises , decided to pick that movie for last night. I wasn't really sure what to expect from this film because, while I liked the first two The Ja...

Synopsis: Three years after saving the world in Summerville, Oklahoma, Callie Spengler, her two children, Trevor and Phoebe, and her boyfriend, Gary, have relocated to New York City resurrected the Ghostbusting business her father helped found in the 1980s, much to the chagrin of NYC mayor and long-time Ghostbuster antagonist Walter Peck. They soon find themselves once again needing to save the world when an ancient artifact containing an ancient god looking to wipe out the human race by freezing them to death is accidentally opened. Who's in it? The movie stars Paul Rudd , McKenna Grace , Carrie Coon , Finn Wolfhard , Dan Aykroyd , Annie Potts , Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson . Review: I had some serious doubts when Hollywood decided to reboot the Ghostbuster franchise in 2021 but I enjoyed Ghostbusters: Afterlife more than expected and was excited to see Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire as a result. I didn't get an opportunity to see it at the theater as I had hoped but did wa...

Synopsis: Rather than go to a high school dance, a group of friends instead decides to celebrate Halloween in an abandoned funeral home with a dark past. While using a mirror to perform a seance, they inadvertently wake a demon that quickly begins to kill and possess members of the party. Who's in it? The movie stars  Cathy Podewell ,  Alvin Alexis ,  Hal Havins ,  Allison Barron  and  Harold Ayer . Review: After having some family time by taking the kids bowling yesterday evening, my wife and I decided to stay home last night and watch a movie instead. It had been a while since I last saw Night of the Demons and she had never seen it, so I selected it. As it turns out, the movie isn't as good as I remembered. On the surface, the movie has a good premise and setting. Granted, it isn't anything overly unique compared to other horror films but had the potential for some easy scares. Unfortunately, like so many other movies in this genre, the execution did...

Synopsis: Given only one more month to live because of the bone cancer that has left her bedridden, the wealthy Olga Marsdale obtains an ancient Jack in the Box and makes a deal with the demon inside - the lives of six victims in exchange for healing her. Her son reluctantly helps her find victims but the new housekeeper, Amy Proctor, begins to suspect something is going on. Who's in it? The movie stars  Matt McClure , Nicola Wright , James Swanton , Mollie Hindle and  Michaela Longden .  Review: While my wife and I found a lot of things wrong with The Jack in the Box when we watched it earlier this month, we were both interested in seeing if the sequel  The Jack in the Box: Awakening would be any better. After all, the premise wasn't terrible, just the overall execution. We finally got around to doing that last night and, unfortunately, our opinion about the franchise really didn't change. I thought the plot had some good things going for it. The idea of summo...

Synopsis: Former Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Ray Waller is adjusting to life without baseball after his body begins to show signs of multiple sclerosis. When he is told water therapy may help slow the progression, he purchases a home for his family because it has a pool. The pool, they learn, is spring-fed and Ray soon discovers the water has healing properties that seem to be curing his disease. However, at the same time, a menacing force within the water seems to be trying to kill his kids. Who's in it? The movie stars Wyatt Russell , Kerry Condon , Amélie Hoeferle , Gavin Warren and Jodi Long. Review: I needed a bit of a break after mowing the lawn in nearly 90-degree weather yesterday and when we sat down for dinner, put on a movie. I had seen trailers for Night Swim and knew it was on Peacock, so my wife and I gave it a try.  After seeing it, my impression was just "meh." The premise was somewhat intriguing. The water seemed to have a mix of good and bad and...

Synopsis: Still in mourning over the murder of his fiancée, American Casey Reynolds moves to England and takes a job at a small museum. While sorting through artifacts, he discovers an old Jack in the box toy and turns the handle to make the clown pop out. What Casey doesn't know is the "Jack" in this toy is also a demon and, now that it's been released, will kill six people. Who's in it? The movie stars Ethan Taylor , Robert Strange , Lucy-Jane Quinlan , Philip Ridout and Darrie Gardner . Review: It had been a few days since my wife and I had watched a movie together and I had seen The Jack in the Box  on Amazon Prime. I didn't know a whole lot about this movie, other than it seemed to be popular enough to generate sequels, but I didn't find anything that looked better, so we gave it a try. Overall, I'd say this wasn't a terrible movie. However, it also wasn't one of the better ones we've watched. I think the biggest problem for me was...

Synopsis: A group of friends discover they can conjure spirits by holding an embalmed hand and saying the words "talk to me" and can also invite the spirits to possess them by saying "I let you in." While scary, it is also surprisingly addictive. However, things take a dark turn when Mia lets her friend's younger brother try and doesn't pull the hand away in time.  Who's in it? The movie stars Sophie Wilde ,  Sarah Brokensha ,  Sunny Johnson ,  Joe Bird and  Alexandra Jensen.  Review: My wife ordered pizza for dinner and since I didn't need to cook, we had time to watch a movie yesterday evening. I chose Talk to Me  primarily from the image of the possessed Mia (Wilde) on Paramount Plus, which made the movie look like it would be scary. As it turns out judging the film solely by its cover wasn't a great idea. I'll give the movie a few points for originality. While the premise isn't 100 percent unique, the idea of using an embalmed han...

Synopsis: The merchant ship Demeter takes on cargo in Bulgaria and sets sail for London. At first, things seem to be going smoothly but a half-dead female stowaway is soon discovered in one of the crates and not long after that, crewmembers are brutally killed one-by-one whenever the sun goes down. The deaths are eventually blamed on a terrible evil known to many by the name Dracula. Who's in it? The movie stars Corey Hawkins ,  Aisling Franciosi ,  Liam Cunningham ,  David Dastmalchian and  Javier Botet . Review: My wife wanted to see this movie when it was out at theaters, but I had a lot of doubts about it. My biggest concern was, since it is a movie based off a chapter in the book Dracula,  and Demeter 's fate is fairly common knowledge, I thought it would end up being too predictable to be entertaining. We finally got around to watching the movie last night on Paramount Plus and it turns out I was wrong. The movie was much worse than I was expecting it t...

Synopsis: After being placed under house arrest for protecting her deaf sister, Sofia begins to suspect recent child abductions might be related to her new next-door neighbor. However, she soon realizes the abductions are instead being orchestrated by Cucuy, a Mexican legend known for punishing wicked children. Things go from bad to worse when her sister is snatched by the demon. Who's in it? The movie stars  Jearnest Corchado , Bella Stine , Brian Krause , Marisol Nichols and Morgana Ignis . Review: My wife and I were able to settle down on the couch early enough to watch a movie last night and, since it has been a while since I've checked out some of the films on SyFy, I went through that list. This one seemed interesting, so we gave it a try. Overall, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. I think the thing I liked best about this movie was the mystery surrounding the Cucuy (Ignis). In particular, there was a mystery about who summoned the creature (and it tur...

Synopsis: Two years after his wife sees a moth-like creature before dying from a brain tumor, Washington Post reporter John Klein somehow manages to make a 6-hour drive in just 90 minutes and ends up in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. While there, he learns about strange occurrences that had been happening around town, including multiple people spotting the same creature his belated wife did. As he investigates and even has a conversation with the creature, which seems to have the ability to predict the future, it's clear something very bad is about to happen to the town. Who's in it? The movie stars Richard Gere , Laura Linney , David Eigenberg , Debra Messing and Will Patton. Review: My wife and I had some free time last night since none of our shows were on this week. As a result, when I came across this movie on one of our premium channels, I decided to watch it with her. I've only seen this movie once or twice before. The first time, it scared me. The second time, i...

Synopsis: Teenagers Abby Rivers and Gretchen Lang are best friends in 1988, with Gretchen being the one person who makes the strict Catholic school they attend bearable for the Jewish Abby. When they go on a trip to a lake house with two other friends, they are introduced to acid for the first time and, while on the drug, explore an abandoned house, where they both get spooked by something and become separated for several minutes. When Gretchen begins acting strangely at school the following week, Abby assumes it is from the drugs. She then suspects her friend was raped. The truth about what happened to her friend, however, is much more complicated. Gretchen is possessed by a demon. Who's in it? The movie stars Elsie Fisher , Amiah Miller ,  Rachel Ogechi Kanu ,  Cathy Ang and  Clayton Royal Johnson. Review: This movie has been on my list for several weeks, but I wasn't really sure if it would be worth watching. My wife and I finally did just that yesterday evening and...

Synopsis: While driving to his in-laws on Christmas Eve with his wife, two kids and his daughter's boyfriend in the car, Frank Harrington decides to get off the interstate and take the scenic route. However, after he falls asleep at the wheel and nearly gets in an accident, they pass a woman with a baby on the side of the road and give her a ride, only to start dying one-by-one while traveling on a seemingly endless road. Who's in it? The movie stars Ray Wise , Lin Shaye , Mick Cain , Alexandra Holden and Amber Smith . Review: I was in the mood for a horror movie or thriller and came across this one on Amazon Prime. I had some doubts about the film, but it turned out to be better than expected. To be honest, the movie was kind of predictable. It didn't take a whole lot of imagination to figure out why they seemed to be on a road that didn't end and/or why they died one by one only to have a hearse drive off with them. In fact, it is basically the same plot as other m...

Synopsis: After a failed attempt to bond with his teenage daughter, Karen, ends with car trouble, Michael suggests visiting a local escape room while waiting for repairs. They are joined by three others and immediately begin having fun. However, it soon becomes apparent something is amiss and they eventually realize their lives are in danger. Who's in it? The movie stars Jeni Ross ,  Mark Ghanimé , Kathryn Davis , Hamza Haq and Dennis Andres. Review: My daughter wanted a horror movie for family movie night and, wanting to make sure I found something my wife and I hadn't seen before while still making sure it was suitable for her, I wound up looking for one on SyFy. This was one I've been interested in giving a try and, as it turns out, it was better than expected. I think one of the things I liked most about this film is while everything felt real, there was also just enough mystery to make it easy to question whether or not it was all part of an elaborate show. Even as...

Synopsis: A young girl travels to Switzerland to attend an exclusive boarding school and becomes a social outcast because of her sleep walking. However, she has other things on her mind because there is a serial killer on the prowl and she believes she can use her unique insect-controlling ability to track him down. Who's in it?  The movie stars Jennifer Connelly , Daria Nicolodi , Fiori Argento , Donald Pleasence and Dalila Di Lazzaro . You can read my review here:  Movie Review: Phenomena (1985) (wizzley.com)

Synopsis: When Hutch's friend is brutally murdered, he discovers a new video game, Stay Alive, among his friend's possessions. He and some of his friends decide to play the game. However, what they don't realize is, in order to play, they must read an ancient spell that releases the spirit of infamous Countess Elizabeth Bathory and, if they die in the game, they will die in real life. Who's in it? The movie stars Jon Foster , Samaire Armstrong , Sophia Bush , Frankie Muniz and Wendell Pierce. Review: My wife  is a big Chicago P. D. fan and, since I was at the library yesterday anyway, I decided to find a movie with one of her favorite actresses, Sophia Bush. I had forgotten we had watched this particular movie before, many years ago, but we ultimately didn't regret watching it again. Overall, the movie is a lot like many other films with a similar plot. It involves a group of friends who don't realize they are playing a cursed game, even though they are requir...

Synopsis: After failing to follow through on a promise to carve a pumpkin with his son, Charlie, college professor Mike Lawford takes the 7-year-old to a Halloween carnival in an attempt to make it up to him, only to have Charlie disappear while Mike is buying an ice cream cone. Nearly a year later, Mike and his estranged wife, Kristen, begin hearing and seeing Charlie and Mike realizes his son's abduction is one of many that might have been carried out by the vengeful spirit of a Celtic woman who, along with her children, was burned alive for being a witch. Who's in it? The movie stars Nicolas Cage , Sarah Wayne Callies , Jack Fulton , Veronica Ferres and Lauren Beatty. Review: This was one of a few movies my wife picked out while at the library a couple days ago. We ended up watching it yesterday evening and, while I did have some doubts about it, I ended up enjoying it a lot more than expected. I think the thing I liked best about this film was the overall mystery surroun...