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
Did you know that Peter Gabriel has a voice role and a song (Curtains) in the game Myst 4: Revelation from 2004?
December 19, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Did you know that Peter Gabriel has a voice role and a song (Curtains) in the game Myst 4: Revelation from 2004?
The Trump administration has proven itself malicious AND incompetent time and time again, so even if so much of the Epstein files are heavily redacted, they might accidentally let some damning information through and doom themselves. 🤞🤞
December 19, 2025 at 2:43 PM
The Trump administration has proven itself malicious AND incompetent time and time again, so even if so much of the Epstein files are heavily redacted, they might accidentally let some damning information through and doom themselves. 🤞🤞
Most Doctor Who Christmas specials, regardless of quality, feature integral Christmas themes, and some are even adaptations of classic Christmas stories.
December 19, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Most Doctor Who Christmas specials, regardless of quality, feature integral Christmas themes, and some are even adaptations of classic Christmas stories.
Galactic Aliens gave me the same joy as Barlowe’s Guide, but the art is less consistent and the prose less professional.
Tour Of The Universe depicts a whirlwind holiday through inhabited space, and the tickets, pamphlets, articles etc. interspersed throughout the book make it feel so real.
Tour Of The Universe depicts a whirlwind holiday through inhabited space, and the tickets, pamphlets, articles etc. interspersed throughout the book make it feel so real.
December 19, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Galactic Aliens gave me the same joy as Barlowe’s Guide, but the art is less consistent and the prose less professional.
Tour Of The Universe depicts a whirlwind holiday through inhabited space, and the tickets, pamphlets, articles etc. interspersed throughout the book make it feel so real.
Tour Of The Universe depicts a whirlwind holiday through inhabited space, and the tickets, pamphlets, articles etc. interspersed throughout the book make it feel so real.
Spacecraft pairs awesome artwork with, again, detailed and fascinating descriptions.
Barlowe’s Guide To Extraterrestrials captivated my imagination with its zoological and sociological survey of literary aliens, and it’s been nice “meeting” some of these aliens again in their source novels.
Barlowe’s Guide To Extraterrestrials captivated my imagination with its zoological and sociological survey of literary aliens, and it’s been nice “meeting” some of these aliens again in their source novels.
December 19, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Spacecraft pairs awesome artwork with, again, detailed and fascinating descriptions.
Barlowe’s Guide To Extraterrestrials captivated my imagination with its zoological and sociological survey of literary aliens, and it’s been nice “meeting” some of these aliens again in their source novels.
Barlowe’s Guide To Extraterrestrials captivated my imagination with its zoological and sociological survey of literary aliens, and it’s been nice “meeting” some of these aliens again in their source novels.
I love After Man for its beautiful illustrations and the detailed descriptions of an immersive world with very plausible predictions. It makes so much sense, for example, that rodents would diversify and become the dominant mammalian predators, and that rabbits might evolve into deer-like creatures.
December 19, 2025 at 2:30 PM
I love After Man for its beautiful illustrations and the detailed descriptions of an immersive world with very plausible predictions. It makes so much sense, for example, that rodents would diversify and become the dominant mammalian predators, and that rabbits might evolve into deer-like creatures.
"Oh wait — you mean Dead Tim? Went to his funeral Wednesday last, I did. Tiniest coffin I ever seen."
(Source: Chris and Jack's brilliant comedy short film If Scrooge Slept In.)
youtu.be/HZVE1Tb9Vdo?...
(Source: Chris and Jack's brilliant comedy short film If Scrooge Slept In.)
youtu.be/HZVE1Tb9Vdo?...
December 19, 2025 at 12:30 PM
"Oh wait — you mean Dead Tim? Went to his funeral Wednesday last, I did. Tiniest coffin I ever seen."
(Source: Chris and Jack's brilliant comedy short film If Scrooge Slept In.)
youtu.be/HZVE1Tb9Vdo?...
(Source: Chris and Jack's brilliant comedy short film If Scrooge Slept In.)
youtu.be/HZVE1Tb9Vdo?...
Mark Kermode's review of Avatar: Fire And Ash is really damn shallow.
I didn't find the plot very engaging, but I tried to invest myself in it, whereas it sounds like Kermode actively resisted engaging with the film. This is a very bad-faith stance for a film critic.
I didn't find the plot very engaging, but I tried to invest myself in it, whereas it sounds like Kermode actively resisted engaging with the film. This is a very bad-faith stance for a film critic.
December 19, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Mark Kermode's review of Avatar: Fire And Ash is really damn shallow.
I didn't find the plot very engaging, but I tried to invest myself in it, whereas it sounds like Kermode actively resisted engaging with the film. This is a very bad-faith stance for a film critic.
I didn't find the plot very engaging, but I tried to invest myself in it, whereas it sounds like Kermode actively resisted engaging with the film. This is a very bad-faith stance for a film critic.
Very little is accomplished by the end, and Fire And Ash retreads many of the prior films’ plot beats.
Oona Chaplin is vicious and compelling as Varang, the leader of the Ash tribe, and she and Quaritch have some fun chemistry, but the Ash tribe are underused and have no depth.
3.5/5
Oona Chaplin is vicious and compelling as Varang, the leader of the Ash tribe, and she and Quaritch have some fun chemistry, but the Ash tribe are underused and have no depth.
3.5/5
December 19, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Very little is accomplished by the end, and Fire And Ash retreads many of the prior films’ plot beats.
Oona Chaplin is vicious and compelling as Varang, the leader of the Ash tribe, and she and Quaritch have some fun chemistry, but the Ash tribe are underused and have no depth.
3.5/5
Oona Chaplin is vicious and compelling as Varang, the leader of the Ash tribe, and she and Quaritch have some fun chemistry, but the Ash tribe are underused and have no depth.
3.5/5
Some shelves can store significantly more — you basically get an extra row/level — if you turn them upside-down.
December 19, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Some shelves can store significantly more — you basically get an extra row/level — if you turn them upside-down.
After Man is one of my most cherished books from my childhood.
This, Spacecraft: 2000 To 2100 AD, Barlowe's Guide To Extraterrestrials, Galactic Aliens and Tour Of The Universe fostered in me a love of science fiction artfully presented as non-fiction.
I don't really like Man After Man, though...
This, Spacecraft: 2000 To 2100 AD, Barlowe's Guide To Extraterrestrials, Galactic Aliens and Tour Of The Universe fostered in me a love of science fiction artfully presented as non-fiction.
I don't really like Man After Man, though...
December 19, 2025 at 8:52 AM
After Man is one of my most cherished books from my childhood.
This, Spacecraft: 2000 To 2100 AD, Barlowe's Guide To Extraterrestrials, Galactic Aliens and Tour Of The Universe fostered in me a love of science fiction artfully presented as non-fiction.
I don't really like Man After Man, though...
This, Spacecraft: 2000 To 2100 AD, Barlowe's Guide To Extraterrestrials, Galactic Aliens and Tour Of The Universe fostered in me a love of science fiction artfully presented as non-fiction.
I don't really like Man After Man, though...
Do you enjoy music you don’t understand?
I don’t know any Turkish, but Mor ve Ötesi from Turkey is one of my favourite rock bands. :)
I’ve been a big fan ever since they performed at Eurovision 2008.
youtu.be/Lw4unI3tVNQ?...
I don’t know any Turkish, but Mor ve Ötesi from Turkey is one of my favourite rock bands. :)
I’ve been a big fan ever since they performed at Eurovision 2008.
youtu.be/Lw4unI3tVNQ?...
mor ve ötesi - Cambaz (Official Video)
YouTube video by mor ve ötesi
youtu.be
December 19, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Do you enjoy music you don’t understand?
I don’t know any Turkish, but Mor ve Ötesi from Turkey is one of my favourite rock bands. :)
I’ve been a big fan ever since they performed at Eurovision 2008.
youtu.be/Lw4unI3tVNQ?...
I don’t know any Turkish, but Mor ve Ötesi from Turkey is one of my favourite rock bands. :)
I’ve been a big fan ever since they performed at Eurovision 2008.
youtu.be/Lw4unI3tVNQ?...
This looks beautiful!
December 19, 2025 at 2:29 AM
This looks beautiful!
A great list. :)
Your number four (28 Years Later) is my eight, your number six (Together) is my five, and your number eight (Sinners) is my six.
The rest of my top ten:
10. Black Phone 2
9. Companion
7. Nosferatu
4. Frankenstein
3. A House Of Dynamite
2. Train Dreams
1. The Long Walk
Your number four (28 Years Later) is my eight, your number six (Together) is my five, and your number eight (Sinners) is my six.
The rest of my top ten:
10. Black Phone 2
9. Companion
7. Nosferatu
4. Frankenstein
3. A House Of Dynamite
2. Train Dreams
1. The Long Walk
December 19, 2025 at 2:23 AM
A great list. :)
Your number four (28 Years Later) is my eight, your number six (Together) is my five, and your number eight (Sinners) is my six.
The rest of my top ten:
10. Black Phone 2
9. Companion
7. Nosferatu
4. Frankenstein
3. A House Of Dynamite
2. Train Dreams
1. The Long Walk
Your number four (28 Years Later) is my eight, your number six (Together) is my five, and your number eight (Sinners) is my six.
The rest of my top ten:
10. Black Phone 2
9. Companion
7. Nosferatu
4. Frankenstein
3. A House Of Dynamite
2. Train Dreams
1. The Long Walk
When Mission Impossible 7 came out, someone on Twitter predicted an MI spinoff starring Hayley Atwell as Grace in the near future, and I’d very gladly watch that. :)
December 19, 2025 at 1:08 AM
When Mission Impossible 7 came out, someone on Twitter predicted an MI spinoff starring Hayley Atwell as Grace in the near future, and I’d very gladly watch that. :)
It's like a reverse Turing test.
Real people are annoying and inane enough online for us to assume they're NOT people.
Real people are annoying and inane enough online for us to assume they're NOT people.
December 18, 2025 at 11:09 PM
It's like a reverse Turing test.
Real people are annoying and inane enough online for us to assume they're NOT people.
Real people are annoying and inane enough online for us to assume they're NOT people.
I realised a while ago that if Doctor Who were an American show, Esai Morales would have played the Master.
And if Doctor Who were an Australian show, Benedict Hardie (Fisk from Upgrade) would have played the Master.
And if Doctor Who were an Australian show, Benedict Hardie (Fisk from Upgrade) would have played the Master.
December 18, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I realised a while ago that if Doctor Who were an American show, Esai Morales would have played the Master.
And if Doctor Who were an Australian show, Benedict Hardie (Fisk from Upgrade) would have played the Master.
And if Doctor Who were an Australian show, Benedict Hardie (Fisk from Upgrade) would have played the Master.
Some people have a similar perspective toward video games.
Some gamers think that only ever-changing online multiplayer games like Fortnite have replay value, which is incredibly superficial.
If you enjoyed playing a game and can see yourself playing it again, it has replay value.
Some gamers think that only ever-changing online multiplayer games like Fortnite have replay value, which is incredibly superficial.
If you enjoyed playing a game and can see yourself playing it again, it has replay value.
December 18, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Some people have a similar perspective toward video games.
Some gamers think that only ever-changing online multiplayer games like Fortnite have replay value, which is incredibly superficial.
If you enjoyed playing a game and can see yourself playing it again, it has replay value.
Some gamers think that only ever-changing online multiplayer games like Fortnite have replay value, which is incredibly superficial.
If you enjoyed playing a game and can see yourself playing it again, it has replay value.
What do you think of Esai Morales as Gabriel, the villain?
Some people thought he was a weak villain, but I think Morales radiates sinister charisma.
Some people thought he was a weak villain, but I think Morales radiates sinister charisma.
December 18, 2025 at 2:22 PM
What do you think of Esai Morales as Gabriel, the villain?
Some people thought he was a weak villain, but I think Morales radiates sinister charisma.
Some people thought he was a weak villain, but I think Morales radiates sinister charisma.
My parents are kinda jaded toward American Pie because it was played to death during the seventies, but they still acknowledge that it's a good song.
December 18, 2025 at 12:27 AM
My parents are kinda jaded toward American Pie because it was played to death during the seventies, but they still acknowledge that it's a good song.