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.

“Perfect Illusion”

Lady Gaga’s latest offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of rushing too quickly into a relationship that ultimately proves to be a counterfeit.

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The Great Divide

Rebecca Black, of “Friday” fame circa 2011, is back with her attempt to redeem one of the most-mocked moments of the internet age.

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Morgan

Morgan is a provocative, speculative, gruesome sci-fi thriller by first-time director Luke Scott, the son of the film’s famous producer, Ridley Scott. And the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

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Greater

Greater treads off the beaten sports-movie path into deeper philosophical and spiritual questions. And it refuses to give a pat answer to why very bad things happen to very good people.

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Glory

Britney Spears recently told comedian James Corden that she’s not very interested in men or physical intimacy anymore. Her ninth album suggests otherwise.

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Dig Your Roots

Praiseworthy shout-outs to God, marriage, family and church compete with more problematic content on this rising country band’s latest effort.

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Blonde

Frank Ocean’s second studio effort blurs the lines between musical genres … and between vacuous hedonism and earnest yearning.

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War Dogs

War Dogs is a profane cautionary tale about what happens when greed and cleverness inevitably undermine integrity in the pursuit of lots of money.

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Hardwired

It’s been eight years since we last heard from Metallica. And that span hasn’t brightened this iconic thrash band’s outlook on the future.

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Suicide Squad: The Album

The movie Suicide Squad has big problems. Its No. 1 soundtrack has even more.

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Unleashed

Skillet’s melodic-but-ferocious-as-ever tenth effort, Unleashed, is a testament to the band’s faithful, hard-rocking focus on God’s redemptive love.

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Love Remains

This effort from Lady Antebellum singer Hillary Scott could hardly be more focused on Jesus if it tried.

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Closer

The Chainsmokers’ latest hit has been called a “Millennium romance anthem.” But it has a lot in common with Boomer and GenX love songs from decades past.

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Ice Age: Collision Course

Ice Age: Collision Course may be showing the series’ prehistoric age, but in some important ways it also emphasizes traditional ideas about marriage and family.

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Starving

Actress Hailee Steinfeld makes the leap to the music world in a predictably sensual song.

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