Filmnerdness 101 with Ray Sidman 🎃
@filmnerdness101ray.bsky.social
Cinephile, former pop-culture journalist and critic, writer, podcasts guest, filmmaker, and college instructor
My original Filmnerdness 101 page:
@filmnerdness101.bsky.social
My main page:
@raysidman.bsky.social
Letterboxd:
https://boxd.it/lLVfr
#fn101
My original Filmnerdness 101 page:
@filmnerdness101.bsky.social
My main page:
@raysidman.bsky.social
Letterboxd:
https://boxd.it/lLVfr
#fn101
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31 DAYS OF HORROR 2026
This October, I’m changing up my approach to 31DoH. Typically, I aim for mostly rewatches with roughly 1/3 of the titles being first-time watches. But since I launched Filmnerdness 101, my watch list has exploded. So, this year, I’m sticking almost exclusively to FTWs.
🎃🔪👻🎥🤘🖤
This October, I’m changing up my approach to 31DoH. Typically, I aim for mostly rewatches with roughly 1/3 of the titles being first-time watches. But since I launched Filmnerdness 101, my watch list has exploded. So, this year, I’m sticking almost exclusively to FTWs.
🎃🔪👻🎥🤘🖤
If you’ve not yet experienced the horror that is Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010), I give it my highest possible recommendation, and have since before its official release when I reviewed it as a professional pop-culture critic. From the director of Mandy, this film is stunning and unforgettable. 🖤
Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010)
Deep within the mysterious Arboria Institute, a disturbed and beautiful girl is held captive by a doctor in search of inner peace. Her mind controlled by a sinister technology. Silently, she waits for...
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October 8, 2026 at 12:35 AM
If you’ve not yet experienced the horror that is Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010), I give it my highest possible recommendation, and have since before its official release when I reviewed it as a professional pop-culture critic. From the director of Mandy, this film is stunning and unforgettable. 🖤
Starting this evening with FTW Mad Love (1935), helmed by The Mummy director Karl Freund and starring Peter Lorre, I have high expectations.
Mad Love (1935)
An insane surgeon's obsession with an actress leads him to replace her wounded pianist husband's hands with those of a knife-throwing murderer.
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October 7, 2026 at 11:39 PM
Starting this evening with FTW Mad Love (1935), helmed by The Mummy director Karl Freund and starring Peter Lorre, I have high expectations.
The Crow (the original) is returning to theaters for Halloween weekend this year. I AM SO THERE. 🖤
October 7, 2026 at 11:05 PM
The Crow (the original) is returning to theaters for Halloween weekend this year. I AM SO THERE. 🖤
Just saw that The Deadly Spawn (1983) is getting the 4K treatment from Synapse Films on November 10.
October 7, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Just saw that The Deadly Spawn (1983) is getting the 4K treatment from Synapse Films on November 10.
It’s a fact: I’ve never seen Vampyres (1974), though it’s been on my list since college. As a fervent lover of folk horror, I’m looking forward to this.
Vampyres (1974)
A duo of bisexual female vampires prey on passing motorists, whom they seduce and murder in the English countryside.
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October 7, 2026 at 1:41 AM
It’s a fact: I’ve never seen Vampyres (1974), though it’s been on my list since college. As a fervent lover of folk horror, I’m looking forward to this.
Here’s my lo-fi ranking of the films in the Leprechaun franchise:
1) Leprechaun 3
2) Leprechaun
3) Leprechaun in Space
4) Leprechaun in the Hood
5) Leprechaun Returns
6) Leprechaun 2
7) Leprechaun Back 2 tha Hood
8) Leprechaun Origins
1) Leprechaun 3
2) Leprechaun
3) Leprechaun in Space
4) Leprechaun in the Hood
5) Leprechaun Returns
6) Leprechaun 2
7) Leprechaun Back 2 tha Hood
8) Leprechaun Origins
October 7, 2026 at 12:05 AM
Here’s my lo-fi ranking of the films in the Leprechaun franchise:
1) Leprechaun 3
2) Leprechaun
3) Leprechaun in Space
4) Leprechaun in the Hood
5) Leprechaun Returns
6) Leprechaun 2
7) Leprechaun Back 2 tha Hood
8) Leprechaun Origins
1) Leprechaun 3
2) Leprechaun
3) Leprechaun in Space
4) Leprechaun in the Hood
5) Leprechaun Returns
6) Leprechaun 2
7) Leprechaun Back 2 tha Hood
8) Leprechaun Origins
It ends tonight. Another Leprechaun entry sans Warwick Davis. I expect this (so far) final film in the franchise to go out with a whimper. That said, I am watching Leprechaun Returns (2018), and I’ll give it a fair shake.
Leprechaun Returns (2018)
A group of unwitting sorority sisters accidentally awaken the serial-killing Leprechaun after they build a sorority house on his hunting grounds.
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October 6, 2026 at 11:00 PM
It ends tonight. Another Leprechaun entry sans Warwick Davis. I expect this (so far) final film in the franchise to go out with a whimper. That said, I am watching Leprechaun Returns (2018), and I’ll give it a fair shake.
Oh my freaking gawds. Look at this behemoth. This looks AMAZING. 🖤
MORBID PLEASURES: A COMPENDIUM OF THE GRAND GUIGNOL & THE GRAND GUIGNOLESQUE
[FULL DISC SPECS & ORDER LINK]
severinfilms.com/products/mor...
[FULL DISC SPECS & ORDER LINK]
severinfilms.com/products/mor...
October 6, 2026 at 10:14 PM
Oh my freaking gawds. Look at this behemoth. This looks AMAZING. 🖤
A Leprechaun movie without Warwick Davis? I’m watching Leprechaun: Origins (2014) under protest. But I’m watching it.
Leprechaun: Origins (2014)
Two young couples backpacking through Ireland discover that one of Ireland's most famous legends is a terrifying reality.
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October 6, 2026 at 2:04 AM
A Leprechaun movie without Warwick Davis? I’m watching Leprechaun: Origins (2014) under protest. But I’m watching it.
This is a bit of a project, and I love it. I don’t have the original “Butt-O-Ween” (1995) VHS. However, I do have the 10-DVD Mike Judge Collection gold box that has all 7 of these episodes on 6 different discs. So, I’m cycling through the discs to watch the eps in their original Butt-O-Ween order.🖤
Beavis and Butt-Head: Butt-O-Ween (1995)
When Beavis and Butt-Head are watching a horror film, two kids show up at their door to do trick or treat. Butt-Head takes their candies and slams the door in their faces. Later Beavis eats all of the...
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October 6, 2026 at 12:41 AM
This is a bit of a project, and I love it. I don’t have the original “Butt-O-Ween” (1995) VHS. However, I do have the 10-DVD Mike Judge Collection gold box that has all 7 of these episodes on 6 different discs. So, I’m cycling through the discs to watch the eps in their original Butt-O-Ween order.🖤
The quest to watch this franchise continues with the first-time watch Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (2003). I do love Warwick Davis in this role.
Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (2003)
When Emily Woodrow and her friends happen on a treasure chest full of gold coins, they fail to to heed the warnings of a wise old psychic who had foretold that they would encounter trouble with a very...
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October 5, 2026 at 10:25 PM
The quest to watch this franchise continues with the first-time watch Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (2003). I do love Warwick Davis in this role.
A horror-comedy set in 1986, and it’s an Aussie film? Penny Lane Is Dead (2025) sounds like perfection to me.
Penny Lane Is Dead (2025)
Set in 1986, during a scorching Aussie summer, three best friends' celebration at a beach house turns into a blood-soaked fight for survival when a prank goes horribly wrong.
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October 4, 2026 at 8:50 PM
A horror-comedy set in 1986, and it’s an Aussie film? Penny Lane Is Dead (2025) sounds like perfection to me.
Today’s first-time watch is Leprechaun 5, a.k.a. Leprechaun in the Hood (2000). Ice-T has top billing after franchise star Warwick Davis, so I’m already in. The opening scene goes full-blown spoof with the Afro jokes, which seems atonal for a film in this series but is humorous.
Leprechaun in the Hood (2000)
When Butch, Postmaster P, and Stray Bullet loot the local hip-hop mogul's studio to fund their demo album, the threesome unwittingly ends up with the secret of Mack Daddy's success: a magical flute. T...
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October 4, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Today’s first-time watch is Leprechaun 5, a.k.a. Leprechaun in the Hood (2000). Ice-T has top billing after franchise star Warwick Davis, so I’m already in. The opening scene goes full-blown spoof with the Afro jokes, which seems atonal for a film in this series but is humorous.
I had no idea that Brian Trenchard-Smith helmed two Leprechaun films, but here we are. First-time watch Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996) will hopefully be as enjoyable as the third entry (also a BTS movie), which so far is my favorite in this series.
Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996)
On a planet in a distant galaxy, a power hungry Leprechaun, holds a beautiful alien princess hostage in order to marry her for her royal title. With her title and his beloved gold, he'll be able to ru...
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October 3, 2026 at 5:47 AM
I had no idea that Brian Trenchard-Smith helmed two Leprechaun films, but here we are. First-time watch Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996) will hopefully be as enjoyable as the third entry (also a BTS movie), which so far is my favorite in this series.
The second of tonight’s FTW features is Bad Ben (2016), which is apparently the first in a series of several films. Hopefully, that’s a good sign.
Bad Ben (2016)
Tom Riley thought he was getting the deal of a lifetime when he bought a house below market value at a Sheriff's sale. He invested every penny he had with the plan of flipping the home for a profit. O...
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October 3, 2026 at 3:22 AM
The second of tonight’s FTW features is Bad Ben (2016), which is apparently the first in a series of several films. Hopefully, that’s a good sign.
First of tonight’s pair of first-time watches is Burn, Witch, Burn (1962), a.k.a. Night of the Eagle. An AIP movie, perhaps it was filmed on the same set as The Terror, since that classic came out the following year.
Night of the Eagle (1962)
A college professor who discovers that his wife has been practicing black magic for years forces her to stop but soon learns the true power of the occult.
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October 3, 2026 at 3:18 AM
First of tonight’s pair of first-time watches is Burn, Witch, Burn (1962), a.k.a. Night of the Eagle. An AIP movie, perhaps it was filmed on the same set as The Terror, since that classic came out the following year.
Stand and Deliver (1988) is back in theaters this weekend? YESSS!
Stand and Deliver (1988)
Jaime Escalante is a mathematics teacher in a school in a hispanic neighbourhood. Convinced that his students have potential, he adopts unconventional teaching methods to try and turn gang members and...
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October 2, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Stand and Deliver (1988) is back in theaters this weekend? YESSS!
Having watched 4 horror titles since midnight last night, I’m taking a break to watch my favorite western, Tombstone (1993). Val Kilmer should’ve won an Oscar, but he wasn’t even nominated. Total robbery. I’m still pissed about it. Regardless, amazing film.
October 2, 2026 at 2:26 AM
Having watched 4 horror titles since midnight last night, I’m taking a break to watch my favorite western, Tombstone (1993). Val Kilmer should’ve won an Oscar, but he wasn’t even nominated. Total robbery. I’m still pissed about it. Regardless, amazing film.
The Brian Trenchard-Smith directing this entry gives me hope that Leprechaun 3 (1995) will be to my liking. I’m a longtime fan of BTS films. On top of that, one element I’ve really enjoyed a lot in this series is Warwick Davis chewing scenery like it’s corned beef and cabbage.
Leprechaun 3 (1995)
It was a normal night in Las Vegas, Nevada, all the lights were flashing brightly, until a man with one hand, one eye, and one leg walks into a pawn shop with a statue of a hideous looking Leprechaun....
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October 2, 2026 at 12:10 AM
The Brian Trenchard-Smith directing this entry gives me hope that Leprechaun 3 (1995) will be to my liking. I’m a longtime fan of BTS films. On top of that, one element I’ve really enjoyed a lot in this series is Warwick Davis chewing scenery like it’s corned beef and cabbage.
Taking a moment (or an hour or so) to watch the documentary Screaming in High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era (2011). It’s fun and insightful and includes interviews with many key filmmakers and stars from this cinematic era. (Full disclosure: A friend was the editor on this project.)
Screaming in High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era (2011)
Three girls living in Los Angeles, CA in the 1980s found cult fame when they "accidentally" transitioned from models to B-movie actresses, coinciding with the major direct-to-video horror film boom of...
boxd.it
October 1, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Taking a moment (or an hour or so) to watch the documentary Screaming in High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era (2011). It’s fun and insightful and includes interviews with many key filmmakers and stars from this cinematic era. (Full disclosure: A friend was the editor on this project.)
So, I’m moving on to first-time watch Leprechaun 2 (1994). I’ve been told many times over the years that the first Leprechaun is the best of the series. Shit.
Leprechaun 2 (1994)
A thousand years ago, the Leprechaun left a bloody trail when he ripped through the countryside in search of his stolen gold. Now he's back in the big city using all of his deadly tricks to snare the ...
boxd.it
October 1, 2026 at 5:51 PM
So, I’m moving on to first-time watch Leprechaun 2 (1994). I’ve been told many times over the years that the first Leprechaun is the best of the series. Shit.
Here’s the deal. I’ve never actually seen a Leprechaun movie. (Really.) I’ve seen bits and pieces of the first two, but that’s it. So, I’m kicking off this 31DoH with Leprechaun (1993), a.k.a. “The One with the Actor Who Later Married an Actor Who Guest Starred in an Episode of Freddy’s Nightmares.”
Leprechaun (1993)
A demonic leprechaun terrorizes a group of young people whom he believes stole his gold.
boxd.it
October 1, 2026 at 7:17 AM
Here’s the deal. I’ve never actually seen a Leprechaun movie. (Really.) I’ve seen bits and pieces of the first two, but that’s it. So, I’m kicking off this 31DoH with Leprechaun (1993), a.k.a. “The One with the Actor Who Later Married an Actor Who Guest Starred in an Episode of Freddy’s Nightmares.”
Closer to midnight, and it’s time for The Gate (1987). I’ve been a fan since a long time ago. This is solid gateway horror, and just fun. It stars a young Stephen Dorff. The SFX, in particular, are impressive.
The Gate (1987)
Three young children accidentally release a horde of nasty, pint-sized demons from a hole in a suburban backyard. What follows is a classic battle between good and evil as the three kids struggle to o...
boxd.it
October 1, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Closer to midnight, and it’s time for The Gate (1987). I’ve been a fan since a long time ago. This is solid gateway horror, and just fun. It stars a young Stephen Dorff. The SFX, in particular, are impressive.
Haven’t seen Pontypool (2008)? Dude.
Pontypool (2008)
When disc jockey Grant Mazzy reports to his basement radio station in the Canadian town of Pontypool, he thinks it's just another day at work. But when he hears reports of a virus that turns people in...
boxd.it
October 1, 2026 at 12:26 AM
Haven’t seen Pontypool (2008)? Dude.
Counting down to midnight and the kickoff of October and 31 Days of Horror with Near Dark (1987). Lance Henriksen. Bill Paxton. Jenette Goldstein. Tim Thomerson. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. The best vampire movie of 1987. (Yeah, I said it. And I’ve guested on a podcast ep discussing exactly that.)
Near Dark (1987)
A farm boy reluctantly becomes a member of the undead when a girl he meets turns out to be part of a band of vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars.
boxd.it
September 30, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Counting down to midnight and the kickoff of October and 31 Days of Horror with Near Dark (1987). Lance Henriksen. Bill Paxton. Jenette Goldstein. Tim Thomerson. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. The best vampire movie of 1987. (Yeah, I said it. And I’ve guested on a podcast ep discussing exactly that.)