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.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 2022

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Shells are, by their very nature, hard and brittle things. So you might be surprised by the size of the heart you find in this one.

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blog top 09-02

Seven Movies to Get Your Kids Excited to Learn

Diving back into reading, math, chemistry and gym, can be a dispiriting and even scary experience. So why not watch a movie that celebrates education?

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The Patient s1

The Patient

Well-scripted and well-acted, The Patient might nevertheless leave some viewers feeling a need for counseling themselves.

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Honk for Jesus Save Your Soul 2022

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul

This scathing satire of megachurch culture hits its mark occasionally … but the R-rated content hurts its viewers, too.

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blog top 08-29

Summer’s Numbers Don’t Lie: We’re Not Interested in Agendas

Top Gun: Maverick outperformed many of the year’s anticipated summer blockbusters. And “woke” agendas may be the reason.

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Lost Ollie s1

Lost Ollie

Poignant, precious and, yes, problematic, Lost Ollie nevertheless plumbs unexpected depths.

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The Plugged In Show, Episode 144: When Superheroes Take a Social Media Break (plus Secret Headquarters)

In this installment of The Plugged In Show, we tackle social media, its connections to mental health and why stepping away from it might benefit all of us.

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What Will the New Pinocchio Teach Us?

The CGI-slathered remake promises to be (ahem) a whale of an attraction for the streaming leviathan. But will it be any good?

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blog top 08-18 Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

The Plugged In Show, Episode 143: Your Kid and YouTube (Plus Out of My Heart)

We give parents a few pointers on how to reel in the YouTube leviathan in their homes—navigating how their sons and daughters use YouTube and how they can best curb and enjoy it.

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Better Call Saul season 6

Better Call Saul

As this show about money laundering reaches its end, the verdict looks little different from its predecessor, Breaking Bad.

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blog top 08-16

Sometimes, Even Spidey Needs a Break

Spider-Man actor Tom Holland took a break from social media for his mental health. And maybe we should, too.

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Summering 2022

Summering

This bittersweet coming-of-age story serves as a salute to childlike innocence. But it isn’t as innocent as it might seem.

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Disney and Deadpool

The Plugged In Show, Episode 142: R-rated Disney: A Conversation with PTC’s Melissa Henson. (Plus, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters)

They said they wouldn’t. But now, Disney+ has added R-rated content. And many moms and dads are still upset with the decision.

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Prey 2022

Prey

The Predator is back, and this time he’s hunting poorly armed humans in 1719. What could go wrong? Plenty.

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The Plugged In Show, Episode 141: Our Complicated Relationship With Christian Celebs (plus Fanfiction!)

In the wake of Chris Pratt’s recent comments on religion, we unpack the weird relationship we might have with the rich, famous and faithful.

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