How do you know an actor or actress is phenomenal? That's easy. His or her performances should elicit intense emotions in you. You know the person has put in a sensational performance when you find yourself rooting for him or her all throughout. And, if they're playing the role of villain, you know they've done a brilliant job when you hate their living guts and can't wait for the character to pay for what they've done. However, a couple of actors and actresses take this a step further. Some play the role of villain so well that you still admire the character despite his or her evil deeds. Here are two examples: Robert De Niro : There's a reason I call this guy my favorite actor of all time. His uncanny ability to play a mobster or thief in serious action thrillers (e.g. Goodfellas, Casino, The Score, Heat) and play a mobster, cop or agent in comedic flicks (e.g. Analyze This, Meet the Fockers, Showtime) shows how remarkably versatile he is. He is suc...

It seems superhero movies are the rage these days. From Batman and Superman to X-Men and The Avengers, one would think that Marvel Studios and DC Entertainment have deliberately hijacked the movie industry. It seems one or more of these CGI-laden flicks come out each year. And who can blame them? Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which was released in the U.S. on March 25, has already pulled in a whopping $851.9 million. Not too shabby, considering it was produced on a not-so-shoestring budget of $250 million. I saw the movie a few weeks ago and thought it wasn't as good as any of the movies in The Dark Knight trilogy. But that's neither here nor there. Meanwhile, Captain America: Civil War, slated to hit theaters in the U.S. on May 6, is expected to earn more than $190 million domestically and somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 million worldwide in its opening weekend. I remember how, back in the day, superhero movies primarily targeted children, their key dem...

The worst movies, hands down, are those that fail to illicit a reaction in you. You couldn't care less what happens to anyone in the film, even the central character. An hour or less into it, you're yearning for it to end and wish you could get that time back. Such was the case over the weekend when, at a friend's behest, I watched "Man of Steel." Since we plan to watch "Batman v Superman" together, which is slated for a March 25 release in the U.S., he thought it imperative that I watch this one first in order to get some background on the origins of Superman. The movie was completely devoid of any plot or character development. It was laden with special effects, yes, but I had a hard time grasping what was going on and why characters were doing certain things at different points. Special effects are certainly neat, and they help enhance a movie. But to me, at least, they are no substitute for a trite script and lousy acting. I was expecting the m...