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.

McFarland USA

A cross-cultural cross-country drama about a beleaguered teacher inspiring young kids beyond anyone’s expectations—especially their own.

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Kirby and the Rainbow Curse

The pink ‘n’ bouncy hero Kirby is back to restore color to the universe with the help of a rainbow-painting sidekick.

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Evolve

The makers of Evolve want you to get your monster on in this twist on a run-and-gun war game.

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Seventh Son

The first book of Joseph Delaney’s The Wardstone Chronicles makes its decidedly unmagical way to the world of movies.

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The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

Is this whole thing a little long in the loofah? Maybe. But we can still squeeze out a few new things to talk about.

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The Loft

It wants to be a top-shelf, twisting whodunit. But for a whole barrel full of reasons it never makes it beyond a nasty and messy mid-level “who cares?”

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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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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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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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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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