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.

the housemaid

The Housemaid

‘The Housemaid’ is clever, forgettable and quite problematic in a great many ways.

Read more

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft

Lara Croft may raid tombs, but viewers of this show will need to be careful they don’t let its content raid their homes.

Read more
rian johnson

Director Rian Johnson Talks Faith and Filmmaking in ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’

You wouldn’t think that murder mysteries would be exactly Christian. Just the word “murder” implies that at least one big commandment is broken during the story …

Read more
diary of a wimpy kid the last straw

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

Disney+’s ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw’ has some issues, sure. But it earns merit badges for its messages.

Read more

The Carpenter’s Son

Blasphemous? Oh, yes. ‘The Carpenter’s Son’ surpasses that definition and chooses to go further beyond it.

Read more

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

‘Chainsaw Man—The Movie: Reze Arc’ takes crazy to a whole new level. And the problematic content here hits new levels, too.

Read more

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

Tarantino’s skills are considerable. But excess might as well be his middle name. ‘Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair’ is all about that excess.

Read more

Jay Kelly

Some R-rated language mars Netflix’s ‘Jay Kelly,’ but the movie itself comes with some powerful messages about what we love and should love.

Read more
stranger things

Stranger Things

The newest season of Netflix’s Stranger Things continues to blend ’80s nostalgia with ever-darker spiritual content and horrific violence.

Read more

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ comes with content concerns aplenty, and it sure isn’t for kids. But its take on faith is worth discussing.

Read more

Sarah’s Oil

‘Sarah’s Oil’ is a nice, very watchable movie with some lovely messages. But it comes with more impurities than you’d expect from a faith-friendly film.

Read more

Train Dreams

Netflix’s ‘Train Dreams’ gives us a melancholy look at one man’s quiet, hard and strangely transcendent life. But in terms of both themes and content, this isn’t a story for kids.

Read more

Grow

When a little girl tries to grow the biggest pumpkin in a pumpkin-mad town, the result is a sweet little movie with some surprising content issues.

Read more
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.

Read more
bugonia

Bugonia

‘Bugonia’ carries a lot of heavy themes and heavy content, including violent forays into grotesquerie, harsh language and a disturbing willingness to turn abduction into a joke.

Read more