Steven Helmer Publications

  I had planned on just having a noodle cup for lunch today but had to stop by Kwik Trip on my way to the office and saw they had this product by their take-home meals. Since it was on sale today (for $4.99), I decided to give it a try. It didn't disappoint. There were a couple things I really liked about this product. First, it only took 4 minutes to make in the microwave. This is considerably faster than many other single-serve lasagnas I've picked up in the past. In fact, it was quick enough where I think even my wife (who only gets 30 minutes to eat lunch) would find it convenient. I was a little concerned it wouldn't be very filling because it didn't look very large or thick when I took it out of the box. However, there was quite a bit of cheese on it and that did make it a lot more satisfying than expected. I didn't even find myself needing an afternoon snack as a result of this (something that probably would have been the case had I gone with a noodle cup). I...

Synopsis: Sam, a 13-year-old boy living in an impoverished and crime-ridden city, believes his next-door neighbor, Joe Smith, is really Samaritan, a superhero who is believed to have been killed 25 years ago. When a career criminal wears the mask and carries the powerful weapon used by Samaritan's brother, Nemesis, Sam tries to talk Joe into coming out of his retirement. Who's in it? The movie stars Sylvester Stallone , Javon "Wanna" Walton ,  Pilou Asbæk ,  Dascha Polanco and  Sophia Tatum . Review: My wife and I came across this movie yesterday evening and since the trailer made it look somewhat interesting, decided to watch it. I had some doubts about an aging Sylvester Stallone playing a superhero. However, it turned out to better than expected. The movie was far from perfect. Some of the CGI looked a bit fake and that de-aging thing they did on Stallone in flashbacks made him look more creepy than young. The final battle inside a burning building was also a b...

I still find myself a bit undecided about the fledgling Night Court reboot, which still is trying to fill the big shoes of the original. However, the show took a big step in that direction by showing us the human side of Abby Stone ( Melissa Rauch ) by revealing she is a recovering alcoholic. Comedy series don't always need to be funny. In fact, the 80s/90s version of this series had more than its share of heartbreaking moments. Sometimes a little seriousness goes a long way toward making the characters a lot more believable and relatable. Stone's revelation about her problem and how it was a big part of the reason she wants to honor her dad by helping people was a perfect example. I think the thing that impressed me most was how the reveal was done a lot more subtly than a lot of other series might have done it. She didn't make a big announcement or fall off the wagon. Instead, Dan Fielding's ( John Larroquette ) own history with a recovering spouse allowed him to see...

Synopsis: Therapist Rose Carter meets an intake patient in the hospital psychiatric wing who witnessed a suicide and now believes something is stalking her. The patient kills herself in front of Rose and she immediately starts experiencing similar occurrences that slowly drive her close to insanity. Who's in it? The movie stars Sosie Bacon , Jessie T. Usher , Kyle Gallner , Robin Weigert and Caitlin Stasey. Review: My daughter wanted to see this movie, so my wife and I agreed to watch it with her this evening. I wasn't really sure what to expect from it, but it ended up being a good choice. I think the thing I liked the most about this film was the mystery surrounding what was happening to Rose (Bacon). The occurrences looked supernatural at first, but her family also had a history of mental illness, and she experienced something traumatic, so it could have also been her having a mental break. Some scenes, including the one involving her cat, supported the latter while some...

Synopsis: Twin brothers Elias and Lukas arrive at their mother's house and discover her face is bandaged from a "procedure." The twins suspect something is wrong when she doesn't act like herself and begin to suspect she is an imposter. Who's in it? The movie stars Naomi Watts , Peter Hermann , Crystal Lucas-Perry and Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti . Review: We took my daughter back to college this weekend and by the time we got home, I just wanted to relax on the couch and watch a movie. I came across this one on Amazon Prime and thought it looked interesting, so we ended up giving it a try. The film has an interesting mystery. From the moment the twins arrive at their mother's (Watts) farm, it's obvious there is something off about her. In addition to having her face bandaged, she doesn't want to sing them their favorite bedtime song, throws away a photo they drew and has a few somewhat suspicious house rules, including not going into the barn. O...

When I saw NBC was rebooting the show Night Court , I had some mixed feelings. The original series was (and still is) one of my favorites and a show I missed until I found it on Amazon Prime. However, while I liked Melissa Rauch from The Big Bang Theory and thought she was the right choice to play Harry Stone's ( Harry Anderson ) daughter, I wasn't convinced it would be able to live in such big footprints. While I won't cast a final judgement after just two episodes, the reboot hasn't done much to convince me it is able to stand on its own two feet. Even more concerning is it doesn't seem to be trying to do that. Whenever you reboot a series, comparisons to the original are going to be inevitable. And, while it might seem like a good idea, reminding people of the original only makes the problem worse. This starts with the decision to bring back John Larroquette as Dan Fielding. Not only does his return to the courtroom seem forced (and possibly illegal), but his ...

Synopsis: On the day of Dan and Skyler's wedding, millions around the world suddenly drop dead without warning and a series of other Biblical events point to the Rapture. Taking refuge in a church the newlyweds and their friends are forced to examine their life's choices and their faith in God. Who's in it? The movie stars Johnny Pacar , Shaun Sipos , Alexa PenaVega , Bryan Dechart and Italia Ricci. Review: I came across this film on one of my movie channels this evening and since my wife and I were about to sit down and have some dinner, decided to watch it. It ended up being an OK choice but did leave me wanting more. The main problem with movies like this in general is they are advertised as horror films but tend to feel a bit too much like a recruitment commercial for the Christian Church instead. This movie was no exception. I think the movie had potential to be memorable had it spend a bit more time focusing on the Rapture itself. However, other than brief glimpse...