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.

Inception

Leonardo DiCaprio, you might say, has a dream job. After he punches the clock as Cobb, he jumps into … somebody else’s dreams. He is, essentially, a thought-thief, rooting around in other people’s subconscious to extract information—for a price.

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The Grizzlies

Because of its language issues, an audience that might’ve appreciated The Grizzlies the most will likely never see it.

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Room 104

Room 104 is an interesting stop along the television landscape. But a restful place to stay? Hardly.

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The Alienist

This TNT crime drama is as dirty, messy and brutal as the 19th-century New York streets from which it pulls its story.

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Blindspot

Tattoos tell the tale of a woman who has lost all of her memories but none of her fighting skills … or her sensuality.

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Spotlight

It sticks with you, as well-told stories do. As shocking stories do. It’s a horrific reminder of the evil that people can do. Any people.

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Zookeeper

Forget about all that fun Doctor Dolittle had with his furry friends. If you’re one of those who thinks it’d be pretty cool for animals to talk, Zookeeper will put that little fantasy to rest forever.

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Brave New World

Peacock’s take on Aldous Huxley’s dystopian classic is not brave or new, but it does give viewers a salacious world.

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Vivarium

This grim horror/mystery/comedy is far more about smothering life, in one way or another, than living it.

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Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

The Lorax shows the world at its worst. And it could be a favorite of the folks at Earth First! But here at Plugged In we’ll address other things. The bravery, the violence, the dents and the dings.

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The Old Guard

The Old Guard may feel fresh and new. But in some ways, it’s the same old story.

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Relic

It’s scary and sad and sometimes awful. But Relic also offers a note of hope in that horror.

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Warrior Nun

While some genuine spiritual elements aren’t completely missing here, the positives are nun-too-obvious.

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Greyhound

For those who have Apple TV+, they’ve received a rare cinematic gift: a gripping story with little to gripe about.

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The Twilight Zone (2019)

Rod Serling proved you could make a provocative show without a whiff of content. This Twilight Zone has no such confidence.

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