Contributor: Paul Asay

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

brother and sister - Riches

Riches

Prime Video’s salacious new British soap opera Riches may be a poor investment of your time.

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Willow carries weapon and walks through the forest.

Willow

This sequel to the original 1988 movie Willow is much like its predecessor. Fun, silly and a bit problematic.

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Will Ferrell as the Ghost of Christmas Present in 'Spirited.'

Don’t Say “Bah, Humbug” to A Christmas Carol: The Timeless Message of Ebenezer Scrooge

Not much entertainment from 1843 has survived long enough to find a home in today’s pop-culture miasma. But Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has.

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the plugged in show episode 157

The Plugged In Show, Episode 157: The Plugged In Thanksgiving Special (and a Look at Minno)

Plugged In takes a look at what it’s thankful for this year in the worlds of entertainment and technology.

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guy in hoodie - Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin

Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin

Like the movies that came before, Bumper in Berlin feels sweeter than it actually is.

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woman swimming - Nanny

Nanny

Nanny, while restrained by R-rated horror standards, certainly subjects viewers to blood and skin, sex and spirituality.

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Queen with wand - Disenchanted

Disenchanted

This sequel to 2007’s Enchanted reminds us that we don’t live in a fairy tale. But even so, there’s still magic in our relationships.

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People singing and dancing - Spirited 2022

Spirited

Apple TV+’s Spirited comes with some coals in its figgy pudding. But this Christmas musical is also surprisingly sweet, too.

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People dancing with blue dog - Blue's Big City Adventure

Blue’s Big City Adventure

Blue’s Big City Adventure is free of explicit sex, violence and language. But the rainbow flags? They’re flapping with pride.

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Thirteen Lives 2022

Thirteen Lives

Plucked straight from the headlines, this story comes with grit, heart … and more swearing than we’d like.

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Till 2022

Till

Till, based on the death of a 14-year-old boy and what his mother did about it, isn’t the easiest movie to watch. But it’s not supposed to be.

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A woman and two men stand as one explains something dubious.

Amsterdam

Part screwball comedy, part murder mystery, part political thriller, part social commentary, Amsterdam never locks onto one bullseye.

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woman in western garb - The English

The English

The English, a Western now streaming on Prime Video, is heavy on style—and on blood and gore, too.

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Wakanda Forever and Taylor Swift's Midnights

The Plugged In Show, Episode 155: Wakanda Forever and Taylor Swift’s Midnights

One of the biggest movies of the year. The biggest pop star on the planet. Yep, it’s a big podcast. Who could ask for anything … Namor? (Oh, wait, he’s in there, too.)

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3000 Years of Longing 2022

Three Thousand Years of Longing

This interesting fairy tale makes us long for a less problematic movie.

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