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.

Hot Rod

An earnest-but-clueless wannabe stuntman collects bruises as if they were trophies in this lightweight (and unfortunately foul) mash-up of ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ and ‘Saturday Night Live.’

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Lions for Lambs

Robert Redford weaves three stories about war and politics into an occasionally poignant, more often preachy message film about the U.S. War on Terror.

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“All That Matters”

Justin Bieber is grateful for his girl’s existence on “All That Matters.” But he’s also all too happy about quite a bit more than that.

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Bangerz

It’s no surprise that Miley Cyrus’ latest effort pulsates with raw and reckless rebellion. What is surprising is how much she also sings about her obviously broken heart.

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The Paradigm Shift

The big news with Korn’s 11th studio album is the hard-core nu metal band’s reunion with founding guitarist-turned-Christian Brian “Head” Welch—news that leaves some of his faithful fans wondering what’s going on in Head’s head.

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“Timber”

What happens when party-loving Pitbull teams up with party-adoring Ke$ha? Or should we be asking what doesn’t happen?

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Lucky Number Slevin

Usual suspects Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman hook up with Lucy Liu and Josh Hartnet in a hyper-violent crime-kingpin thriller designed to curl your toes and bludgeon your morals.

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The Soloist

A newspaper reporter and a homeless street musician strike up an unlikely connection in this poignant tale of hope, determination and friendship. (Based on a true story.)

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Pure Heroine

The 16-year-old phenom from New Zealand is taking the music world by storm with an album that intuitively recognizes the emptiness of the Internet Age … even if she’s much less sure how to fill the void she so clearly sees.

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Metallica Through the Never

It is indeed a trip—an hour-and-a-half journey into a sonic maelstrom full of angst and anger, cacophony and coffins.

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The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2

A single 20/20 Experience just wasn’t enough for ‘N Sync alum Justin Timberlake. But the mere existence of this second one means there are now two experiences music lovers don’t need to share.

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Nothing Was the Same

Frequent, vulgar injections of drugs, bling, brash bravado and sexual prowess make Drake sound so much like so many others in his genre that he really should have changed his title to Everything Is the Same.

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Rush

Such is the power of Howard and Morgan’s storytelling that viewers are simultaneously attracted to and repelled by each.

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Battle of the Year

Every year, the best b-boy crews—practitioners of the art of extreme breakdancing—gather from around the world in France to determine who’s the best in a discipline that began on the urban streets of America. But it’s been a long time since America actually won.

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Surf’s Up

A teen penguin discovers that friendship and sacrifice matter more than winning a surfing competition.

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