Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

Two years ago, I moved back to the town in which I grew up. I hadn’t really explored it for the five years I was gone, so there were many surprises as to what had changed in my absence. Store fronts had come and gone and new houses now stood where small patches of forests had been growing.

Last year, I took my kids to the Memorial Day and July 4th parades the town has had long since I could remember. It was nice to see people lining the street and waving to our local heroes and dancing to the music of marching bands. I was pleased in this case to see that Enfield still values community where it matters the most.

This year was the 25th anniversary celebrating the 4th on our town green. What started as a tiny ‘Taste of Enfield’ with a few local food booths followed by 10 minutes of cheesy fireworks, had grown into something I barely recognized. When I was a kid, relatively unknown cover bands would cram into the little gazebo throughout the weekend, while children ran around the green and danced to the beat.

This year, it was the Los Lonely Boys and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra playing. David Foster and the Mohegan Sun Band were also there on a large constructed stage usually seen at  music festivals.

There were so many people there this year that it was a vast sea of chairs and blankets no matter where you directed your eyes. Don’t get me wrong, there was pretty good attendance when I was a kid, but this was beyond anything I had experienced in the past.

As the girls and I barely managed to walk past the stage, a good portion surrounding the platform was barricaded, only allowing the corporate sponsors a seat in that pristine area. Corporate sponsors.

I’m sure the town had gained small business support in years past, but this was different. While I could understand the need to seek bigger donations, it unnerved me that with securing that money, Enfield ultimately bowed down and licked the feet of the local privileged.

We celebrated the 4th each year on the town green as one community. Children danced on stage to classic rock and blues tunes. You had room to walk and when you did, you ran into someone you knew almost all the time.

Perhaps I’ve been gone too long, but there wasn’t one person I recognized from my past, but then again there were so many people, they could have passed me by and I would have never seen them.

Despite the crowd, it had to be the coldest mid July celebration we’ve ever had. Usually heat lightning streaks through the night sky, but the girls and I were huddled on our little patch of grass under a fleece blanket waiting for the fireworks.

The display, which was one of the only highlights of the night was incredible. There was one summer back in the 80’s where only two fireworks had gone off and some problem prohibited the rest of the show. This year, color exploded in the sky for a good part of 25 minutes. What I thought was a finale was followed by a smaller finale, then followed by the biggest show of light I’ve ever seen at a local show. It was almost like with each ear splitting boom, the volume of the crowd surged as well, the excitement growing in the air until the climax. I don’t think I’ve ever been that moved at a fireworks display before.

In that one moment as everyone, (privileged and not) stared up that sky in wonder, I was instantly transported back in time and remembered what it felt like to celebrate the birth of our country, and belong to a great community. Growing pains and all.

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

Confessions of a Lone Zombie Con Attendee.

You’d think that as a zombie, you’d have incredible self confidence. Who doesn’t appreciate our ability to overcome death? It is a real self esteem booster. Yet, I’m not finding that mythos terribly alive at the moment right now.

What?

Why am I sulking? Partly because I’m beginning to think that science fiction/fantasy conventions are only fun if you go with someone. Wait, that sentence isn’t finished. I’m beginning to think that science fiction/fantasy conventions are only fun if you go with someone who is attached at your hip ninety five percent of the time.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for going places by myself, like lynchings and movies or even out to grab a bite of a favorite restaurateur. Yet, as I sit here at ReaderCon in the busy Burlington, MA Marriott, I miss having company.

There is no one with whom to digest panels (and panelists).There is no one with whom to go over old books in the dealer’s room and casually wink at something hoping the other person gets the hint to buy it for you, only biting off their fingers when they don’t cue-in to your signals. (There is no one to correct your woefully inadequate zombie run-on sentences.) There is no one to go and eat…with.

I also can’t just chase and brain strange people because it’s like, against all the damn rules at these things. I did find out though, that they’re totally okay with chomping on people with whom you’ve previously worked.

Granted, I am talking to people. I gnawed on Neil Clarke and Sean Wallace’s ears for a good part of an hour. They were tasty.

I even said hi to Mary Robinette Kowal before she was pulled off into a new direction. Yet, I dared not get to close, I’ve heard the rumors about that cursed and powerful Campbell tiara flaying zombies who stand to close.

Mike Allen and I even talked about recent poetry narrations as well while I had him in a headlock, err, I mean had his attention. Sadly, I had to let him go to emcee an award ceremony.They begged. I relented.

Bah. I’ve rambled on way too long, and I fear that as I could have been making new connections had I the self confidence to go after my prey, I mean, had I the self confidence to stop hiding in the corner, er, I mean had I the self confidence to do anything, really. Instead, I chose to bitch.

Don’t look at me like that. Never ever pity a zombie.

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

One of my favorites scenes so far in season one. It’s 2 a.m and I’m only through episode 7. I.can’t.stop.watching.

This show has everything a lonely single woman loves in a show. Good stories, memorable characters, swearing, guns, aliens, murderers, blood, guts and sex! Wooo. Why I didn’t start watching this show long before now is a mystery to me. Thank God, Captain Jack Harkness can help me figure that out. Oh, and he can totally help me perfect my real life shooting skills any day.

I am watching it on Itunes, only because I have no idea what censors do to the show once it gets here after airing in Britain. Trust me when I say, this show is a dish best served whole…with good stories, memorable characters, swearing, guns, aliens, murderers, blood, guts and sex! (Oops!)

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

Here is a new theme!

I liked the “Open Air” theme by Woo Themes, but it just felt too impersonal. I tried my hand at enhancing the design to add a little more Kate into the mix, but everything I did broke something else. Frustrating.

I particularly like this theme for a number of reasons.

1.) The header graphic. It’s insanely cute. It tells a story. It’s somewhat tailored to who I am. Not only is the animation stunning, but you can interpret it a number of ways. It could be that I am the little girl in the middle with her eyes closed, dreaming of conquests, monsters and giraffes. It’s got a fantasy/sci-fi feel to it. Or perhaps, I’m showing that playing games with my friends is the best feeling in the world. Because really, the action depicted in the scene can be anything from D20 RP to RPG and strategy video games. It’s totally me. The only thing this picture is missing is the red dragon of desire doom.

2.) Neon – Who doesn’t like neon colors? (Okay, maybe you don’t, but I do, so nyeh.)

3.) It’s clean. The font is perfect, the sidebar is perfect (with the exeption of popular posts– which I’m working on).

4.) It’s fun. The whole theme just says “play with me”  and I feel that it reflects the type of person I am or aspire to be on most days.

Let me know what you think!

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

It was the whole “busy life” thing that got in the way of my reading. No, really. It seemed like every time I sat down to read the first installment of the “Destroyermen” series, something always pulled me away.

Determined to finally finish it, I did over the past week.  I am certainly glad I did. Into the Storm was fantastic. I have a soft spot for anything involving United States Military, and Taylor certainly didn’t disappoint.

The book opens in World War II, with the USS Walker, a four-stacker WWI era destroyer, running from the Japanese. The sheer momentum under duress by her crew is anxiety inducing. Exactly what you’d feel if you were on lookout for enemy ships or suicidal fighters above.

Cut to mysterious squall, sickening colors and vertigo.

One surprise after another continues to rock the story as it moves along in the strange new world. Confronted with two new sentient species, we quickly find out, the strange raptor dinosaur looking creatures and a full human size lemurian species are at war with one another.

The crew of the Walker, doing their best to understand their current predicament are thrust into the middle of the conflict and are forced to choose a side in one climatic scene. If not only for their own survival and needed repairs, but ultimately for the sake of doing the right thing.

We meet very interesting characters as we travel along the unfamiliar rolling waves of this strange new Pacific,  which in turn, makes the story believable. Some handle the new pressures well, while others can’t seem to complete their faithful duty. Holding on to the only normalcy they have left, most of the men and women of the USS Walker cling to their roles as Destroyermen, if only for the slim sanity it provides in an unsafe reality.

For Taylor Anderson’s freshman effort, I was pleased by his well rounded and professional writing. I wish my first story had sounded nearly as good. Some writers are gifted out of the box, and I had to keep curbing my jealousy of his prose as I continued on with the story.

Having recently just signed another three book deal with Roc, Taylor is busily banging away at book four, while  I’m onto the second book in the series entitled, Crusade.

Taylor Anderson is definitely an author who is growing in popularity–and ultimately, I would love to read other stories as well from him. His attention to character detail and world building is excellent. Most of all, I had fun.

There is a fine line between wanting more from a story and craving more storytelling and I’m very happy to say that Into the Storm follows the latter category.

Available in paperback now – from Amazon.com

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

The only thing I have to say to critics who panned this movie is:

When you go to an amusement park to ride the biggest and fastest roller coaster you can find; do you leave your seat saying to yourself, “Gee, yah, that sucked. It had no story what-so-ever. There was no depth! Wahhhhh.”

Cause really, that’s what a good majority of you sound like and then I remind myself that critics like you don’t go to those sorts of places anyway…

This sequel was spectacular in everything it was designed to do. When I finally got off this blockbuster of a summer ride, my legs were shaking and my adrenaline was pumping.

WoO!

Oh, and by the way–Josh Duhamel can totally meet me in five minutes for some “Fuck yeah, we just saved the world,” sex. I’d be totally fine with that.

Fergie can come too.

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

Conversations With My Scale

Before Weight Watchers:

ME: “What the hell do you mean I weigh that much?!!! You stupid scale. You’re probably calibrated wrong. There is no way in hell. It’s gotta be the uneven floor. Your overbearing mother didn’t love you enough, did it? I know she didn’t. You couldn’t measure up, could you? Mmm?! You seek self gratification by deflating others, you sick bastard!”

Scale: “???”

At this point, I kick the scale under the vanity and tromp off to the kitchen to presumably eat more crap to the soft and pitiful crying coming from the bathroom.

After Weight Watchers:

Me: “Oh. Dammit.”

Scale: “Bitch.”

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

So, I got home from A Prairie Home Companion tonight at Tanglewood. What an amazing experience. Guests included Martin Sheen, Arlo Guthrie, Heather Masse and Steve Martin on a banjo.

If you can get to a radio or a computer to listen online, the show was fantastic. I immediately drove home, and downloaded the Steve Martin album and select songs from Heather Masse. I would love to get a recording of some of the few songs she did on the show as they blew me away. That girl can sing.

Anyway, here’s Steve doing the title song off his new album, “The Crow” on Letterman. Oh and by the way — he also wrote it.

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

If you’ve been a long time reader on this blog, you know that about once every quarter I get dramatic. I tell you how much I weigh, how terrifying it is, and how I’m going to change. I build myself up, only to fail a week down the road, blaming my lack of success on stress. I am tired of my own lethargy.

On my daily round-up of news, I noticed the JoyFit Club on Msnbc.com. Real people with real weight problems, who’ve taken control of their eating disorders, and lost the weight. Most of them were like me, using food to soothe a mental ache and not compensating with with activity. Except the only difference between these people and myself as of now, is that they’ve made the necessary changes in their lives and I’m still spouting excuses.

Failure is not an option.

There are goals I have:

1.) Fitting into an airplane seat without being uncomfortable.

2.) Going to Fenway and leaving without seat marks in my side.

3.) Treating myself to sky diving

4.) A trip to Italy.

5.) Going skiing again.

6.) Ultimately being healthy for myself and setting a good example for my kids.

So to guide me on my way — I need your help.

I’ve created the Twitter account: DidKateExercise. I would love it if you could find it in your heart to follow and if you don’t see a daily post by 9 p.m EST from me that I’ve done some exercise, either walking, weights, or ellipse machine, remind me or start the hate. I obviously can’t hold myself accountable in the first few days/weeks. I am hoping that once I get into this routine, I will need reminding less and less. Words of encouragement would be highly appreciated as well.

I’ve also made a binder full of some of the stories from the JoyFit Club. I’ve left the last few pages blank, waiting for my own success story. In the front, is the blog post I did on New Year’s Day as well, with all the words of encouragement from my friends. I put that in a place I see every day.

I’ve bought the iNike pedometer that fits with my iTouch as well. I have all these tools and it’s high time I start using them.

This is not going to be an easy road, but I’m hoping with your support, and your kind words and prodding that I can go really far. I promise to show the final result and post pictures of Italy, or a Red Sox game, or perhaps even a video of me jumping out of a plane.

I don’t need wishes of luck this time. I need wishes of do.

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

I guess words can’t really describe how thankful I am to still have you in my life. There were times over the last few years where I thought your body had given up on you and I am ultimately grateful you are a fighter. You have been through so much in your life, I can only aspire to be as strong as you when the chips are down.

Now that you’re living with us, it’s funny — I’ve gotten to know you more as a person. When I was  child, there were certain things that a father was supposed to be;  a protector, a provider, a care giver. In many ways, you are still those things — whether it is forbidding me to help with the dishes on occasion, or stubbornly trying to fix something on your own. I still love the fact that you tell me to be careful every time I get in the car, or go on a trip.

Yet, the more I pay attention, you’ve become more than those roles to me, you’ve become my friend.

I can’t help but smile as I  look over at you as you watch the Red Sox. How you silently well up with emotion when the team does something right. How those tears flow when it comes to matters in real life as well, like watching your granddaughters grow. I don’t know what feelings lie behind those moments, but I’d like to guess it is happiness that you chose to live instead of giving up to the demons of your past.

This Father’s Day, I searched the shelves in vain, trying to find you something you would enjoy. Another model or perhaps a DVD. I toyed with the idea of Red Sox tickets, but I’d want you to experience it up close, on the first base line, and I can’t afford those seats. Hell, if I had the money, I’d send you on the $200K space flight starting next year. Having to be practical,   it was only in the oddest of places that I decided to look, the Wii video game isle, that I found your gift. My motivations may sound silly, but I seem to recall you were an avid golfer until your body rebelled. Unable to traverse the large courses or swing a club, I thought perhaps this would give you the satisfaction of a round, without the pain.

I have to admit, I was nervous.  I had no idea what you would think. Would the mere motion of swinging the Wiimote make you hurt? Would the memories of being out on the green not compare to pixels on a TV screen? I took the chance. The Tiger Woods game was the right choice. Giving the game to you a little early yesterday, your eyes lit up and like a kid at Christmas, you couldn’t wait to play it.  I couldn’t help but smile at the melting ice cream that you requested last evening, waiting in vain for you to finish a round.

This morning when I woke, you triumphantly pumped a fist as I entered the living room, having beat your score from the previous night.

I am glad you like it. I am glad that after 10 years of being unable to play, you can. I am glad you are my father and most of all, I am glad you are my friend.

Perhaps one future Father’s Day, I will be able to afford those Red Sox tickets or a trip into space.

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

My Team Fortress 2 mobile came in the mail today. I’m kinda sad it’s missing the medic, only because that’s the main class that I play. But I have a feeling it would have looked a lot like the pryo. I think out of all of the shadow carvings though, the heavy is my favorite. Ka-boom.

Naturally, I had to hang it near my Portal Companion Cubes which are furiously guarded by the yet unnamed red dragon of desire doom.

What?

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

New podcast up for Peter Hodges!

An orphaned 8 year old hides in the ruins of his former home, pursued by a dangerous attacker.  Plainly obvious by the rubble at his feet, someone wants to kill him and will go to any means necessary to complete the task.

“Alchemist - William Introduction”

Story by Peter Hodges
Dramatic Reading by Kate Baker
Music: William’s Theme by Kate Baker

You can find it here!

If you are asking yourself why this sounds familiar, this is a rewritten and heavily edited chapter. It’s very interesting to see how the story has progressed from the very beginning of the project to the almost-final copy.

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

Barring my untimely death from the J.K. Rowling camp, I’m going to come out and say it.The Graveyard Book from Neil Gaiman is better than Harry Potter. Any of the novels actually. I know, I said it. Dumbledore, please forgive me.

From the very opening scene of this young adult novel, I was entranced. Parents be warned, it will knot your stomach from the beginning sentence until the end of chapter one. Gaiman does his best however,to throw you biscuits of humor as not to shell shock early on.

What starts out as a terrifying tale best served with hot chocolate and roasted s’mores over a campfire, turns into one of the most beloved young adult stories. I can see why it won the Newberry and is up for a Hugo come August.

Without giving anything away, The Graveyard Book is a must read, or listen. I was content on reading the book until a friend had mentioned Gaiman’s narrating skills. As this is the field I hope to one day call my full-time career, I will tell you that there are narrators and there are master storytellers. Neil Gaiman is definitely in the latter category.

Character driven, creative and fun, this book deserves all they hype it’s getting. It is a rare story than can conjure true emotion from the reader and personally, I experienced everything from fear, mirth, and finally bittersweet closure.

This is YA fiction to which every adult must surrender. If not only for the ride, but for the deeper meaning of what it truly means to breathe…and live.

Available through Amazon.com

Also signed letered editions from Subterrean Press. (I wish I had known about this book when the limited edition still existed. I may have to save for the lettered.)

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

Recently purchased on Etsy.com (I got the last one, neener), this lovely little piece of geekery arrived today. 

Packaged in a yellow envelope, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bunch of yummy butterscotch candy packed in with the watch. 

I love when people go the little extra distance to show they care about you as a patron/person.  It’s been too long since I’ve had that warm and fuzzy feeling in the bottom of my belly.

So fellow geeks out there who know exactly what this means, be jealous that I’m being eaten by a grue. Be very jealous!

Here’s a musical interlude to help you out.

Originally published at Out of Sorts. Please leave any comments there.

I am hoping that I don’t have to invest the fifteen hundred to two thousand dollar professional voice demo I need to start securing paid work. So I took some of my best recordings that I’ve done for legitimate sources, put some cool tech geekery music behind it and voila; free demo. 

I could really use your feedback on this. Music too loud? Does the volume need adjusting? 

If all goes well with this creation, the short story narration/audio book demonstration is next on my list. 

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Please leave comments!

Originally published at Amnesia. Please leave any comments there.

Two new free podcasts to tell you about today! 

The first one comes from Hugo nominated Clarkesworld Magazine. I read Nick Mamatas‘,  ”Walking with a Ghost” for the June issue. It’s a fun little Lovecraftian story, sure to make your tentacles wriggle. 

You can find it here and on Itunes. 

The second comes from my best friend’s site - Peter Hodges.  This short excerpt from a post apocalyptic story follows a small band of survivors running from a band of religious zealots. *takes a deep breath*

No, really!

You can find this story here and on Itunes as well.

Anyway, you should visit and listen and all that fun stuff, because I told you to. Mmm… k? :)

Originally published at Amnesia. Please leave any comments there.

I suspect this is what it would be like if I had twins. Instead, I’ll have to settle for two little Allysons via the mirror filter in photobooth for the Mac.

Enjoy.

Originally published at Amnesia. Please leave any comments there.

Morten Lauridsen - Lux Aerterna

I know that’s a really big statement. I’ve always wanted to hear this live, but haven’t been blessed as of yet. I first heard this back in 2001 when NPR played it as a tribute to the fallen in the September 11th attacks. I don’t know if it’s the emotional weight of the moment, but this is one of the only pieces of music that truly moves me to tears.

I caught a part of the symphony in the end of the movie Angels of Demons and immediately recognized it. It’s amazingly beautiful and these guys do a wonderful job in these two clips.

I don’t think you get the full glory of the piece unless you listen to the first part, and unfortunately I thought the organ was a bit clunky on the live version with this group. I’m sure you can find the CD on Amazon or Itunes now. Look for the LA Choral version. It’s well worth the money.

Originally published at Amnesia. Please leave any comments there.

You like me?!?! You really like me! (errr…)

So color me intimidated.  I was trying to put together a small little podcasting portfolio for voice work and idly wondered if anyone had posted anything regarding any of my projects. Considering the growing popularity of Clarkesworld Magazine with its Hugo Nomination, I was really happy to find a few positive notes regarding my recent readings for them. 

(Secretly jumps up and down with enthusiasm while you’re not looking)

On that last review, while the bulk of it was good, I think I was a bit anxious on the first story I did for Neil, so I toned it down not to make a complete and utter fool of myself. That won’t be happening again. ;)

Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #32
From The Lost Diary of Treefrog7 by Nnedi Okorafor
Review by Charles Tan - Bibliophile Stalker

Kate Baker’s reading of the story is impressive. Aside from all the sound effects, Baker draws out the emotion from the protagonist, whether it’s genuinely moaning in pain to sharing her frustration with her husband. There’s also the usual praises for Clarkesworld such as fluency and clear audio.

Read the full review of the Clarkesworld Magazine Issue – here. 

Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #30
Herding Vegetable Sheep - Ekatarina Sedia
Review by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro - The Fix 

Kate Baker provides my favorite podcast from Clarkesworld this year, reading “Herding Vegetable Sheep.” I really enjoyed her interpretations of the rhythms in Sedia’s prose, and the subtle voice characterization. My only wish is that she’d read Sobel’s story instead, which I feel might have made, overall, for a more affecting listening experience.

Read the full review of the Clarkesworld Magazine Issue — here. 

Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #30
Herding Vegetable Sheep - Ekatarina Sedia
Review by Charles Tan - Bibliophile Stalker

For the most part, Kate Baker’s reading was impressive. What particularly struck me was how Baker voiced the mother who was supposed to be crying. When she speaks, she really sounds like she has a cold and perfect for the role. Aside from that, it’s the usual fluent and steady voice that characterizes the other Clarkesworld podcasts.  

Read the full review of the Clarkesworld Magazine Issue — here. 

Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #28
Celadon by Desirina Boskovich
Review by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro - The Fix 

Kate Baker’s enjoyably serene and low-key reading of Boskovich’s story draws out its lyrical qualities, adding to the dreamlike feel of the otherworldly sequences. 

Read the full review of the Clarkesworld Magazine Issue — here. 

Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #28
Celadon by Desirina Boskovich
Review by Charles Tan - Bibliophile Stalker

Kate Baker reads “Celadon” and she’s competent. A good bulk of the story is narration and she’s up to the task as she’s fluent and consistent. There’s little dialogue and that’s perhaps a good thing as Baker doesn’t really distinguish between the various characters and I feel her voice is too even. She’s expressive though when it comes to the reactions of the characters and one can sense the anxiety of the narrator or the detachment of the anthropologists. 

Read the full review of the Clarkesworld Magazine Issue — here. 

Originally published at Amnesia. Please leave any comments there.

I am going to stop reading other people’s reviews until after I see a movie. Now, with that said, you have the choice to continue with this post or go sit through Terminator: Salvation as I did this afternoon.

If you’re looking for the short short review: It was decent. It wasn’t better than Star Trek, so if you’re lagging behind the collective universe on seeing the reboot, I’d um, go see Kirk and Spock first.

Most of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes panned this movie for lack of character development. While these writers have to search their thesauruses in order to preserve the veil of intelligence,we are talking about a movie which has had three previous installments. Frankly, all the character development we needed was in the first flick.

Secondly, if you know anything about the franchise, you know that in the future there is really no time to be swigging tea and eating crumpets while the world is on fucking fire.

So as I mentioned in my Twitter post, any critic who blasted this movie for lack of character depth really needs to figure out why they went to see it. This isn’t The Reader or any sort of film that you need to know why the protagonist is the way he/she is; it’s pretty much a react and try to live situation.

Don’t get me wrong, there were elements I could have lived without. The really nifty ‘override’ hand held computer that the humans were using on the machines. It was as simple as plugging in a zip drive or wire jumping a comprised and nasty enemy, hitting the override button and wee, it turns into your personal slave.

Give me a break please. I could forgive Star Trek for it’s foray into junk science, but this really had me rolling my eyes.

The only other thing that bothered me was near the beginning. McG (That name stopped being cool the first time it was said, btw.) was bouncing the camera and swinging it around like a monkey on a cocaine binge. For the first time in my entire life, I almost felt like getting up out of my seat to go vomit. I toughed it out and thankfully the artsy angles of action to which I hereby dub “Shaky Cam” calmed down.

Overall, it was good. I was happy they didn’t compromise on Kate Connor’s pregnancy weight. Bryce Dallas Howard looked radiant with a little meat on her bones as most pregnant women do, and I was ecstatic they showed her in her full glory. It’s nice to know that in the future, we’re not all airbrushed super models in desperate need of a hamburger while we load our machine-killin shotguns.

The other thing I appreciated, was that in this dire set of circumstances there are moments you see humanity at it’s worst. Despite a common enemy, there are still people who thrive on treating others like crap. You’re probably asking yourself, why Kate, why would you like seeing that? Well, because instead of having every last human survivor working together to defeat the greater enemy, they didn’t gloss over the fact that assholes have about the same survivability as the common cockroach. They will always be around. Place me in a situation similar to the Terminator universe and I’d not only be saving bullets for machines.

Regardless, it was as I said in the beginning of this post, decent. Special effects are fantastic and Christian Bale actually fits the role of John Connor nicely. Anton Yelchin does a fantastic job as Kyle Reese (and Checkov IMO) and I really hope to see Bryce Dallas Howard in more movies. Plot was actually present and for the most part, pretty clever. The only moment the bullshit detector went off was when Connor overrides a bunch of Skynet computers with his trusty Palm Pilot. (I was so hoping to see an Apple logo, but was severely disappointed.)

On a scale of kickassedness, I’d give it 3.5 out of 5.