Contributor: Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

“Telephone”

Just when you think Lady Gaga can’t top herself, she finds a way. But it never seems to be in a good way. This go-round, she’s joined by Beyoncé.

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“Today Was a Fairytale”

The last year of this country phenomenon’s life—leading up to the 2010 Grammy Awards—has been a fairy tale. So it’s only fitting that she’d cap it by actually singing about one.

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Back to the Future?

It’s the end of the year—and the end of the decade. And so, like virtually every other entertainment-oriented writer out there, I’m working up an article detailing some of the significant stuff that’s happened in the last 10 years. In my case, I’m focu …

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It’s Complicated

Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin mess around with a convoluted, morally murky romantic comedy about divorce, remarriage, affairs and family.

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Avatar

Fifteen years in the making, James Cameron’s latest creation is an eye-popping spectacle of conflict between idyllic aliens and greedy humans—saturated with environmental and spiritual themes.

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Crazy Heart

Jeff Bridges pulls on the well-worn boots of an aging country troubadour whose last shot at love may also be his last shot at redeeming a broken, alcohol-drenched life.

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The Element of Freedom

Alicia’s fourth studio album brims with determination when it comes to finding love. Sometimes, though, she gives away everything before she finds out if her latest love is going to last.

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“Imma Be”

Can anything stop the Black Eyed Peas? The electro-pop juggernaut’s latest pulsating, chart-topping ode to instant gratification indicates that the answer is an emphatic No!

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The Movies Made Me Do It!

It’s a funny thing how watching movies can give you ideas you might not have had otherwise. Even if, perhaps, you’re old enough to know better. Take the case of 67-year-old Michael Crane. In November, Crane purchased a remote control airplane from Coas …

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“Carry Out”

Did somebody just yell timber!? Better move out of the way: Timbaland and Timberlake are back with another sophomorically sexual song, this time fantasizing about … fast-food waitresses.

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The Road

Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning story of utmost tenderness and utter brutality inserts a man and his son into a desperately treacherous post-apocalyptic world.

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Rated R

Rihanna blends rage, sex and profanity on a disc that bears a title honestly indicative of its deliberately edgy, angry content.

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I Dreamed a Dream

Scottish singing phenomenon Susan Boyle parlays massive YouTube exposure into one of the biggest music stories of 2009 with her debut.

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Story Time … Online

Before my 3-year-old son, Henry, clambers into bed most nights, we almost always read a story (or two, or maybe three, depending on how determined he is to stay up). If I had a quarter for every time he’s asked me to reread his favorite book about trac …

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Kris Allen

American Idol’s Season 8 champ debuts with a mostly positive (but a little underwhelming) collection of love songs that more or less splits the difference between pop and rock.

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