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.

Movie Monday: ‘Tron: Ares’ Constructs a Win but Can’t Escape the Grid

‘Tron: Ares’ easily beat its competition at the box office, but it has a long way to go to earn back what it took to make the film.

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Chicago Fire

Where’s the fire? In Chicago, it seems. But the flames outside Firehouse 51 are nothing compared to the heat generated inside.

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The Sisters Grimm

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm track down answers to mysteries in a town populated by fairytale creatures. But parents may walk away from this with more questions.

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soul on fire

Soul on Fire

John O’Leary makes some poor choices in ‘Soul on Fire.’ But it reminds us that we can learn and grow from our own mistakes, too.

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john o'leary

John O’Leary Talks About ‘Soul on Fire’ and Saying Yes to Good

John O’Leary knows all about saying yes. He said yes to life when he was 9 years old after suffering horrific burns over his entire body—when he could’ve just given up.

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Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl

‘The Official Release Party’ is all about transparency: Taylor Swift’s trademark honesty in her songs and in the surprisingly revealing outfits she wears.

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East of Wall

East of Wall is a creative, poignant film. But the film’s problematic content? Those are some elements we’d rather forget.

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The Lost Bus

‘The Lost Bus’ takes viewers on a harrowing ride through a flat-out inferno. While the film is well made, viewers may wind up getting burned.

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a father teaching his son to shoot a bow and arrow - Avatar: The Way of Water

Avatar: The Way of Water

James Cameron is an expert world-builder, and his most famous world has never looked so lush. But it might not be a world families care to visit.

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The Promised Land

‘The Promised Land’ takes Scripture and turns it into a mockumentary comedy. And while the humor has a purpose, not every viewer will laugh.

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hola frida

Hola Frida

On its own, ‘Hola Frida’ is a sweet story about a little girl dealing with big problems. But dig a little, and the movie has big problems of its own.

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one battle after another

One Battle After Another

You’ll likely be hearing about ‘One Battle After Another’ come Oscar season. But while its craftsmanship is beyond question, its content is another matter.

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AI Is a Vampire. And It’s Draining Our Creativity

I’ve been writing most of my life. But according to the AI tools integrated into the technology around me, I’ve been doing it wrong.

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fantastic four

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Marvel’s so-called First Family takes its ‘First Steps’ in the official MCU canon in a story that majors on family and dials down typical Marvel content concerns.

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Swiped

You can swipe left on ‘Swiped.’ What could’ve been an interesting dissection of internet dating culture is a shallow disappointment.

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