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.

“Better Dig Two”

A new bride on “Better Dig Two” tells her husband that she can’t live without him … for better or worse.

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Lebanon Vs. ‘Homeland’

Beirut, Lebanon, was once known to tourists as “the Paris of the Middle East.” Then came a 15-year civil war from 1975 to 1990 that, for many people, made the country’s capital city seem synonymous with terrorism and death. So much for the tourism. But …

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Cloud Atlas

From the makers of The Matrix comes an ambitious multi-century, multi-genre, multi-transgression story about the eternal conflict between freedom and oppression.

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Red

The late Robert Palmer penned a lyric back in the ’80s that pretty much sums up Taylor Swift’s effort on Red: “Might as well face it, you’re addicted to love.”

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Hello My Name Is …

Disney’s latest actress/singer starlet (this one from Good Luck Charlie) makes her musical bow. So should we write another review, or just copy and paste a previous one?

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Need a (Facebook) Hug?

Sometimes you just need a hug. And sometimes there’s just no one around to give you one. So what do you do? Well, MIT Media Lab researcher Melissa Kit Chow has brainstormed a decidedly 21st-century solution to this age-old problem, one that creatively …

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Vital

Anberlin returns with an album full of massive guitars, swooshy synthesizers and an affirmation that life is worth living well, even though brokenness and pain are inevitable.

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“Catch My Breath”

Ten years ago, Kelly Clarkson emerged as the champion on the first season of American Idol. Five albums and many hits later, her latest song reflects on the perils of fame and the promise of the future.

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Seven Psychopaths

This brutal and absurdly dark comedy about a dognapping gone disastrously awry could have Quentin Tarantino wondering, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

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Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike

The second installment in the melodramatic adaptation of Ayn Rand’s most famous novel continues its searing philosophical attack on a government’s brazen attack on capitalism.

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The Heist

Seattle rapper Macklemore, along with producer Ryan Lewis, take the typical rap template and turn it upside down. (Sometimes twice.)

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Halcyon

The album that follows on the heels of Ellie Goulding’s huge hit “Lights” is actually considerably darker than that.

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“Skyfall”

If ever someone other than Shirley Bassey was born to sing a James Bond theme song, it’s Adele.

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No Country for Old Lyrics

Quick: What is Led Zeppelin’s most famous hit, “Stairway to Heaven,” actually about? In the nearly 41 years since Zeppelin’s epic eight-minute opus was released, there’ve been plenty of attempts at interpreting the cryptic lyrics penned by the English …

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“Locked Out of Heaven”

The title of pop crooner Bruno Mars’ latest suggests that he sees St. Peter as more of a bouncer than a brother. After listening to the song, though, you might not have too much sympathy for his plight.

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