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.

Transcendence

Johnny Depp is a brilliant scientist who, near death, has his consciousness uploaded to a supercomputer … with the law of unintended consequences playing a major supporting role in what happens next.

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Resident Evil: Retribution

Like a zombie that refuses to stay dead, here comes the hyper-violent, video game-spawned Resident Evil franchise one more time. Will it finally die after this? We’re not counting on it.

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Heaven Is for Real

The result is a faith-oriented and family-friendly film that will both inspire and vex—much like Colton’s stories affect his own father.

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Rivers in the Wasteland

A time of dryness in the desert doesn’t have to deprive us of hope if we choose to persevere together along life’s meandering way. NEEDTOBREATHE knows this well as they now help guide fans from the wasteland to a spiritual oasis.

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“Stay With Me”

Earnest, melancholy, romantic tragedy is in these days. And British newcomer Sam Smith’s earnest, melancholy, fragile falsetto delivers in that category. (But only in that category.)

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Oculus

Oculus delivers a tense, terrifying take on the familiar haunted house template.

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Welcome to the New

MercyMe’s New effort brims with spiritual vitality and theological potency as it repeatedly reminds us that the Good News of the Gospel really is good.

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Date Night

Steve Carell and Tina Fey’s comedy about a tired suburban couple trying to change up their date night routine seems to have promising premise. Should you make it part of your next night out?

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Higher Ground

Vera Farmiga steps into the shoes of Corinne Walker, a spiritual seeker looking for God in a fundamentalist Christian community … and struggling mightily to find Him amid all her doubts.

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“Am I Wrong”

The first Stateside hit from this Norway-based duo majors in out of the box thinking mixed with positivity and perseverance.

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Street Kings

Keanu Reeves stars in a bloody tale of police corruption, bitter betrayal and violent vigilante justice penned and directed by the writer of ‘Training Day.’

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Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez offers a compelling and inspiring portrait of one man’s courageous crusade to change an unjust status quo for the better.

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Letters From Iwo Jima

Clint Eastwood’s second movie about the 1945 battle for Iwo Jima presents a complex look at war from the perspective of the island’s doomed Japanese defenders.

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Shakira

Shakira’s prominent spot on The Voice’s judging panel has surely broadened her musical audience. So what kind of dance steps is this infamously sultry Colombian hip shaker teaching her new fans?

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God’s Not Dead

There are moments of implausibility that emerge as the list of non-Christians behaving badly lengthens. But God’s Not Dead can always be seen focusing on the simple power of testifying to the Truth.

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