Contributor: Bob Hoose

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

Dying Light

Zombie, zombies everywhere, without a bite to eat. Except you if you run too slow.

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Mortdecai

This quirky misfire of a comedy is more Austin Powers raunch than Inspector Clouseau madcap.

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The Uninvited

The producers of ‘The Ring’ movies evidently didn’t want to make fans wait until 2011 for the release of ‘The Ring Three.’ So they’re, um, inviting them to take a slight detour.

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The Wedding Ringer

It’s a dead ringer for a goofy-faced jester who makes you giggle … before hitting you with a clown-car full of rancid cream pie.

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Blackhat

This is something of a computer-hacking non-thriller that feels illogical, ill-defined and, well, rather poorly “coded.”

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Paddington

A suitably plush and cuddly pic that gives three cheers to the importance of loving families.

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Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

These super singing rodents now have some girl chipmunk competition. But are they too cute for their fur?

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How Do You Know

This Reese Witherspoon romcom loses its question mark—but packs in a few other things that could have been left behind.

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Bobby

This film should carry a director general’s warning: Not about Bobby Kennedy. Instead it delves into the sometimes random lives of those people in and around the Ambassador Hotel on the day he died.

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This Christmas

When the Whitfields show up for their traditional Christmas get-together, they’re packing arguments, troubles and even guns. It’s everything but a silent night.

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Into the Woods

A rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s 1987 stage production about tumbled together fairy tales, Into the Woods is whimsical and outlandish, enchanting and thoughtful.

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Dolphin Tale

It’s a movie about a boy and his marine mammal, you might say. And while we watch them splash and play, we’re inspired and delighted.

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The Hoax

A fabricated tell-all autobiography of Howard Hughes threatens to ruin a man’s life, hobble a publishing giant and unseat the U.S. president.

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Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

It’s a Teddy-Roosevelt-meets-Sir-Lancelot-meets-Attila-the-Hun clash of “history” in a cartwheeling CGI-packed splash of silliness.

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Annie

Even I can admit, though, that this new Annie has its sunny high points, too, and that it still (mostly, but watch out for a few scattered profanities) works as the family fare fun it’s always been.

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