Seth Lukas Hynes
@sethhyneswriter.bsky.social
I'm a writer and film critic from Australia. I'm the weekly film critic for the Star Mail newspaper chain (10+ years), and write articles, essays and science fiction. I enjoy movies, prog-rock, video games, collecting vintage Macs and walking for exercise
So, the new Doctor Who spinoff The War Between The Land And The Sea has a plot-point called "severance".
Wouldn't it be funny if Russell T. Davies knew the Doctor Who Disney deal was going downhill, and so used the term "severance" to attract Apple as the new streaming partner?
Wouldn't it be funny if Russell T. Davies knew the Doctor Who Disney deal was going downhill, and so used the term "severance" to attract Apple as the new streaming partner?
December 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM
So, the new Doctor Who spinoff The War Between The Land And The Sea has a plot-point called "severance".
Wouldn't it be funny if Russell T. Davies knew the Doctor Who Disney deal was going downhill, and so used the term "severance" to attract Apple as the new streaming partner?
Wouldn't it be funny if Russell T. Davies knew the Doctor Who Disney deal was going downhill, and so used the term "severance" to attract Apple as the new streaming partner?
Since Chris Chibnall brought Kate Lethbridge-Stewart into New Who in The Power Of Three from 2012, shouldn’t he have had some role in writing The War Between The Land And The Sea?
December 23, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Since Chris Chibnall brought Kate Lethbridge-Stewart into New Who in The Power Of Three from 2012, shouldn’t he have had some role in writing The War Between The Land And The Sea?
What does “Hyperusual” mean?
Is it something so normal and mundane that it’s unusual?
Is it something so normal and mundane that it’s unusual?
December 23, 2025 at 2:39 AM
What does “Hyperusual” mean?
Is it something so normal and mundane that it’s unusual?
Is it something so normal and mundane that it’s unusual?
It turns out Harry The Handsome Executive from 1997 has the swaggiest pause screen of any game ever released.
December 22, 2025 at 11:08 PM
It turns out Harry The Handsome Executive from 1997 has the swaggiest pause screen of any game ever released.
It’s interesting how Denis Villeneuve’s next film is an adaptation of Dune Messiah, Frank Herbert’s sequel to Dune, but it’s simply titled Dune: Part 3.
December 22, 2025 at 10:03 PM
It’s interesting how Denis Villeneuve’s next film is an adaptation of Dune Messiah, Frank Herbert’s sequel to Dune, but it’s simply titled Dune: Part 3.
Something just occurred to me: pornographic films have existed for basically as long as cinema, but is there such a thing as pornographic television?
December 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Something just occurred to me: pornographic films have existed for basically as long as cinema, but is there such a thing as pornographic television?
It's not a bad song, per se, but one of the most overrated songs I've ever heard is Video Games by Lana Del Rey.
It's just so slow, low-energy and boring.
It's just so slow, low-energy and boring.
December 22, 2025 at 1:59 AM
It's not a bad song, per se, but one of the most overrated songs I've ever heard is Video Games by Lana Del Rey.
It's just so slow, low-energy and boring.
It's just so slow, low-energy and boring.
@shadowtodd.bsky.social's Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 2025 video has two of the most hilarious yet searing comments I've ever heard.
On Alex Warren: 'He doesn't even suck enough to suck!'
And...
'Taylor Swift's Actually Romantic is like watching someone shit their pants while robbing a nursing home.'
On Alex Warren: 'He doesn't even suck enough to suck!'
And...
'Taylor Swift's Actually Romantic is like watching someone shit their pants while robbing a nursing home.'
December 21, 2025 at 10:33 AM
@shadowtodd.bsky.social's Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 2025 video has two of the most hilarious yet searing comments I've ever heard.
On Alex Warren: 'He doesn't even suck enough to suck!'
And...
'Taylor Swift's Actually Romantic is like watching someone shit their pants while robbing a nursing home.'
On Alex Warren: 'He doesn't even suck enough to suck!'
And...
'Taylor Swift's Actually Romantic is like watching someone shit their pants while robbing a nursing home.'
@shadowtodd.bsky.social
Avatar 3: Arthur And The Invisibles 2
Avatar 3: Arthur And The Invisibles 2
December 21, 2025 at 7:18 AM
@shadowtodd.bsky.social
Avatar 3: Arthur And The Invisibles 2
Avatar 3: Arthur And The Invisibles 2
@shadowtodd.bsky.social
Forrest Frank's vocals in Your Way's Better make him sound like a male Toni Watson (aka Tones and I, the artist behind Dance Monkey).
Forrest Frank's vocals in Your Way's Better make him sound like a male Toni Watson (aka Tones and I, the artist behind Dance Monkey).
December 21, 2025 at 7:16 AM
@shadowtodd.bsky.social
Forrest Frank's vocals in Your Way's Better make him sound like a male Toni Watson (aka Tones and I, the artist behind Dance Monkey).
Forrest Frank's vocals in Your Way's Better make him sound like a male Toni Watson (aka Tones and I, the artist behind Dance Monkey).
I’m playing the Mac port of Sniper Elite 4 and having a blast.
Even if the gameplay is a little clunky and the player character is burly cardboard, slaughtering Nazis plus Mortal Kombat finishers plus Matrix bullet-time will always be a winning, immensely satisfying formula.
Even if the gameplay is a little clunky and the player character is burly cardboard, slaughtering Nazis plus Mortal Kombat finishers plus Matrix bullet-time will always be a winning, immensely satisfying formula.
December 21, 2025 at 5:38 AM
I’m playing the Mac port of Sniper Elite 4 and having a blast.
Even if the gameplay is a little clunky and the player character is burly cardboard, slaughtering Nazis plus Mortal Kombat finishers plus Matrix bullet-time will always be a winning, immensely satisfying formula.
Even if the gameplay is a little clunky and the player character is burly cardboard, slaughtering Nazis plus Mortal Kombat finishers plus Matrix bullet-time will always be a winning, immensely satisfying formula.
Tonight, I spent hours trying to install Windows 10 using Bootcamp on my 2008 3,1 Mac Pro, but it just wouldn’t work.
Either Bootcamp would simply download the Windows support software instead of actually INSTALLING Windows (and I have a valid Win10 ISO), or it would hang or fail at even that. :(
Either Bootcamp would simply download the Windows support software instead of actually INSTALLING Windows (and I have a valid Win10 ISO), or it would hang or fail at even that. :(
December 19, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Tonight, I spent hours trying to install Windows 10 using Bootcamp on my 2008 3,1 Mac Pro, but it just wouldn’t work.
Either Bootcamp would simply download the Windows support software instead of actually INSTALLING Windows (and I have a valid Win10 ISO), or it would hang or fail at even that. :(
Either Bootcamp would simply download the Windows support software instead of actually INSTALLING Windows (and I have a valid Win10 ISO), or it would hang or fail at even that. :(
Avatar: Fire And Ash is fine. 🤷♀️
Like the previous two Avatar films, the action is exciting and the visuals are beautiful and staggeringly realistic, but the characters are bland and the conflict carries little weight.
Like the previous two Avatar films, the action is exciting and the visuals are beautiful and staggeringly realistic, but the characters are bland and the conflict carries little weight.
December 19, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Avatar: Fire And Ash is fine. 🤷♀️
Like the previous two Avatar films, the action is exciting and the visuals are beautiful and staggeringly realistic, but the characters are bland and the conflict carries little weight.
Like the previous two Avatar films, the action is exciting and the visuals are beautiful and staggeringly realistic, but the characters are bland and the conflict carries little weight.
I was so sure that General Frances Ardmore in Avatar: Fire And Ash (she’s also in Avatar: The Way Of Water) was played by Robin Wright, but nope – it’s Edie Falco.
December 19, 2025 at 10:31 AM
I was so sure that General Frances Ardmore in Avatar: Fire And Ash (she’s also in Avatar: The Way Of Water) was played by Robin Wright, but nope – it’s Edie Falco.
In Mark Kermode's review of Avatar: Fire And Water, he describes the early character development and tribal conflict as 'there's some hobbly-nobbly, bob-dongy, dingy-bongy stuff'.
That sounds... really racist. :(
That sounds... really racist. :(
December 19, 2025 at 9:52 AM
In Mark Kermode's review of Avatar: Fire And Water, he describes the early character development and tribal conflict as 'there's some hobbly-nobbly, bob-dongy, dingy-bongy stuff'.
That sounds... really racist. :(
That sounds... really racist. :(
If I find one at a decent price, I'm tempted to get an iMac Pro.
They're not as upgradable as the Mac Pro, but they're still extremely powerful Macs and lack the compatibility issues of the 2019 Mac Pro, which is limited to 10.15 Catalina and later.
They're not as upgradable as the Mac Pro, but they're still extremely powerful Macs and lack the compatibility issues of the 2019 Mac Pro, which is limited to 10.15 Catalina and later.
December 18, 2025 at 1:52 AM
If I find one at a decent price, I'm tempted to get an iMac Pro.
They're not as upgradable as the Mac Pro, but they're still extremely powerful Macs and lack the compatibility issues of the 2019 Mac Pro, which is limited to 10.15 Catalina and later.
They're not as upgradable as the Mac Pro, but they're still extremely powerful Macs and lack the compatibility issues of the 2019 Mac Pro, which is limited to 10.15 Catalina and later.
I just wrote an article about the novel There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm, and my analysis draws upon The King In Yellow by Robert W. Chambers, The Man In The High Castle by Philip K. Dick, the work of Nick Bostrom, and Doctor Who in a couple different ways.
I really enjoyed writing this. :D
I really enjoyed writing this. :D
December 17, 2025 at 2:50 AM
I just wrote an article about the novel There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm, and my analysis draws upon The King In Yellow by Robert W. Chambers, The Man In The High Castle by Philip K. Dick, the work of Nick Bostrom, and Doctor Who in a couple different ways.
I really enjoyed writing this. :D
I really enjoyed writing this. :D
Have you seen the Doctor Who special Last Christmas?
Doctor Who Christmas specials generally aren’t very good, but Last Christmas is a GREAT episode that essentially combines Alien and Inception, but with Santa Claus (played by Nick Frost!) as a main character.
Doctor Who Christmas specials generally aren’t very good, but Last Christmas is a GREAT episode that essentially combines Alien and Inception, but with Santa Claus (played by Nick Frost!) as a main character.
December 17, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Have you seen the Doctor Who special Last Christmas?
Doctor Who Christmas specials generally aren’t very good, but Last Christmas is a GREAT episode that essentially combines Alien and Inception, but with Santa Claus (played by Nick Frost!) as a main character.
Doctor Who Christmas specials generally aren’t very good, but Last Christmas is a GREAT episode that essentially combines Alien and Inception, but with Santa Claus (played by Nick Frost!) as a main character.
I'm still grateful to the Star Mail for publishing my year-end best and worst film lists every year (they published my worst list in last week's issue), and my regular film reviews every week (since April 2014), but what in the hell were they thinking REMOVING THE NUMBERS from my best films list?
December 16, 2025 at 11:40 PM
I'm still grateful to the Star Mail for publishing my year-end best and worst film lists every year (they published my worst list in last week's issue), and my regular film reviews every week (since April 2014), but what in the hell were they thinking REMOVING THE NUMBERS from my best films list?
I should try Control again.
Despite the amazing atmosphere, intriguing concepts and dynamic combat, I gave up on it earlier this year because, like Silksong, I found it very hard and a bit tedious, but in hindsight it wasn't nearly as tough as Silksong.
Despite the amazing atmosphere, intriguing concepts and dynamic combat, I gave up on it earlier this year because, like Silksong, I found it very hard and a bit tedious, but in hindsight it wasn't nearly as tough as Silksong.
December 16, 2025 at 1:47 AM
I should try Control again.
Despite the amazing atmosphere, intriguing concepts and dynamic combat, I gave up on it earlier this year because, like Silksong, I found it very hard and a bit tedious, but in hindsight it wasn't nearly as tough as Silksong.
Despite the amazing atmosphere, intriguing concepts and dynamic combat, I gave up on it earlier this year because, like Silksong, I found it very hard and a bit tedious, but in hindsight it wasn't nearly as tough as Silksong.
Physically, I felt great today (and walked about 16.5K steps/15.18 km).
I'm normally a fast walker, but today I not only felt fast but POWERFUL.
I'm normally a fast walker, but today I not only felt fast but POWERFUL.
December 15, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Physically, I felt great today (and walked about 16.5K steps/15.18 km).
I'm normally a fast walker, but today I not only felt fast but POWERFUL.
I'm normally a fast walker, but today I not only felt fast but POWERFUL.
I just lost a lot of respect for two people I know in town.
A nice, very tough woman who runs a stock-and-feed shop revealed herself as an anti-vaxxer, and a man who runs a vintage clothing shop defended the use of generative AI in his business (he uses it to make and sell "art" prints).
A nice, very tough woman who runs a stock-and-feed shop revealed herself as an anti-vaxxer, and a man who runs a vintage clothing shop defended the use of generative AI in his business (he uses it to make and sell "art" prints).
December 14, 2025 at 7:05 AM
I just lost a lot of respect for two people I know in town.
A nice, very tough woman who runs a stock-and-feed shop revealed herself as an anti-vaxxer, and a man who runs a vintage clothing shop defended the use of generative AI in his business (he uses it to make and sell "art" prints).
A nice, very tough woman who runs a stock-and-feed shop revealed herself as an anti-vaxxer, and a man who runs a vintage clothing shop defended the use of generative AI in his business (he uses it to make and sell "art" prints).
I think people on the Left and Right overuse the adjective "Orwellian", but the way the Trump regime lies constantly and rewrites history and their own motives, and his supporters accept this revisionism with little to no comment, does feel Orwellian (with reference to 1984).
pisses me off that people call stuff "orwellian" when they just mean it reminds them of 1984. the man wrote other books
December 14, 2025 at 5:05 AM
I think people on the Left and Right overuse the adjective "Orwellian", but the way the Trump regime lies constantly and rewrites history and their own motives, and his supporters accept this revisionism with little to no comment, does feel Orwellian (with reference to 1984).
Happy hundredth birthday (!) to the legendary Dick Van Dyke! ❤️
December 13, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Happy hundredth birthday (!) to the legendary Dick Van Dyke! ❤️
In Death Stranding, I wonder if Sam Bridges ever sleeps with preppers when he rests in their shelters.
Everybody loves Sam, so it’s very possible.
Everybody loves Sam, so it’s very possible.
December 13, 2025 at 11:52 AM
In Death Stranding, I wonder if Sam Bridges ever sleeps with preppers when he rests in their shelters.
Everybody loves Sam, so it’s very possible.
Everybody loves Sam, so it’s very possible.