Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (what to expect)
Scorecard, Watchlist Worthy, ICYMI Pod Drop
The question we set out to answer every week is simple: Is this worth seeing in theaters, or should you wait to stream it at home? Well, we are going to have our work cut out for us come New Years Eve when the season finale (and the last episode of the entire show) of Stranger Things drops in theaters and on Netflix at the same time. Itās a first for Netflix, and we couldnāt be more stoked. We can picture Steve Harringtonās hair on the 30-foot screen now š.
Hereās what we have for you this week:
Concession Stand Scorecard: Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Watchlist Worthy: Park Chan-wook is back at it with another masterpiece
ICYMI Pod: Anticipated Fall Watches
This weekās movie - Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Letterboxd Description:
Witness a true story of risking it all to fight for what you believe in.
Bruce Springsteen, a young musician on the cusp of global superstardom, struggles to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past.
Best Watched With
the artist, the misunderstood, and the parents who did their best.
End Credit Thoughts
Itās been 41 years since the mega-hit Born in the U.S.A. was released and launched the New Jersey-raised Bruce Springsteen into global stardom. But this is not what this movie is about. While other notable biopics show the origins of musical mammoths, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere throws us into the in-between of humble beginnings and fame and fortune.
In 1981, Springsteen was on the map and the radio, making a name for himself. The ball was rolling, and the pressure to keep the momentum going was pushing the 32-year-old in a direction he was unsure of. The studio wanted a new album with singles that could draw in the masses for another tour and the press to report on. Everyone was sure of who Springsteen was and who he should be; everyone except Bruce himself.
For anyone familiar with the work of Jeremy Allen White, itās a no-brainer to have him portray a man dedicated to the art while wrestling with the ugliness of the part to make a less ugly present in the hope of a beautiful future. White has this ability to stare off silently, not into nothing, but rather into an existential humanity seems to wrestle with since the dawn of time. He has the ability to withdraw into silence with such restraint that the quietness becomes loud and speaks to his audience. This performance is no different as the American legend Springsteen, a man who struggles to communicate in dialogue, so he transmutes his inward struggles into song and sound. We benefit from the cost of staying pure and true to the craft he is unrelentingly dedicated to.
There are fewer singing performances than we expected, but the screen time that is given to them, the hours of guitar, harmonica, and singing coaching White received, pays off tremendously. Another notable performance is Jeremy Strong as Jon Landau, Springsteenās manager and producer. Strong embodies loyalty, despite having reservations and not fully understanding Springsteen's artistic decisions, but stands firm in his corner with somewhat of a blind faith.
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere takes a less traditional direction for a biopic. A Complete Unknown (2024), Elvis (2018), and Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), to name a few, are more of an epic covering the life span of artists. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is more of a glimpse into a pivotal, darker time for the man who made us feel good about being Born in the U.S. of A. The commitment to the roles and the blood, sweat, and tears on the silver screen make this movie worth the price of admission.
Watch this on in theaters.
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No Other Choice by Park Chan-wook
BOY OH BOY does this look tasty. No Other Choice, brought to us by Park Chan-wook, looks so exciting. As the director of OLDBOY AND DECISION TO LEAVE (that should sell you enough), we will all be seated for this. The film is about a man suffering through years of unemployment, he creates a unique and dark plan to secure a job, eliminating his competition.
The film stars Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, and Lee Byung-hun who was also in the MASTERPIECE horror film I Saw the Devil (2010).
The crew canāt wait!
-Eric
Letterboxd Description:
After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.
Also Directed by Park Chan-wook:
Oldboy (2003)
The Handmaiden (2016)
Decision to Leave (2022)
Our Most Anticipated Movies of Fall 2025 #62
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
š„ Watch this episode on YouTube
Before diving into a massive preview of the movies set to define Fall 2025, Josh and Eric get sidetracked by the important questions in life: soft vs. crunchy beef jerky, the ethics of eating a $9 pint of protein ice cream by yourself, and the polarizing characters of Shrinking.
Once the snacks are settled, the guys unpack a stacked season of upcoming films. They discuss Jennifer Lawrenceās return to form in Die My Love, Daniel Day-Lewisās shocking return from retirement for Anemone, and whether Dwayne āThe Rockā Johnson can finally prove his acting chops in The Smashing Machine. Get ready for a passionate, hilarious, and exhaustive guide to your new favorite films.
Tune in next week for | Bugonia
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