TheReviewMonk
Jyoti Sharma Bawa

Jyoti Sharma Bawa

Hindustan Times, Indian Express

Reviewing since 2014 · Last review Jan 2020

In Step
66Reviews
5.4Avg scorefrom 54 scored
71%In stepwithin a point of TRM
2014–2020Years

Films

Jyoti's highest scores

See all →
The Jungle Book (2016)
The Revenant (2016)
Spotlight (2016)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Scoring fingerprint

How Jyoti scores

54 scored reviews · 0–10

Most given: 7 (11 reviews)18% of reviews not scored

In step with the room

71%

Within a point of the Monk Score on 71% of 52 films

Closest peer

Bryan Durham

Agrees with Jyoti on 92% of 23 shared films

Divergence

Where Jyoti and the room split

JyotiMonk Score0 ———— 10

Kinder than the room

Furious 7

2015 · Jyoti 8.0 · TRM 6.2

+1.8

kinder than TRM

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

2014 · Jyoti 7.0 · TRM 5.2

+1.8

kinder than TRM

Fanney Khan

2018 · Jyoti 6.0 · TRM 4.4

+1.6

kinder than TRM

Tougher than the room

Chappie

2015 · Jyoti 3.0 · TRM 5.3

−2.3

tougher than TRM

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2

2015 · Jyoti 4.0 · TRM 6.2

−2.2

tougher than TRM

The Last Witch Hunter

2015 · Jyoti 2.0 · TRM 4.0

−2.0

tougher than TRM

From the archive

All 66 reviews

Jawaani Jaaneman

2020 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2020

Nitin Kakkar's film does a fine balancing act of keeping it fun and enjoyable while showing heart when needed. However, there is a subplot about housing redevelopment that is unnecessarily shoe-horned in the film. Perhaps the intention is to underline Jazz's change of heart but it is one of the few things that feels forced in this largely likable drama. Having said that, someone should start a tally of how many times Saif came-of-age on film; we already have one about him coming-of-middle-age.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.6

Pagalpanti

2019 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2019

Pagalpanti appears to be a collection of improvised scenes rather than a film made from a real script. The performances are wooden, dialogues stilted and regressive, and the story – well, there isn't one. This one is best avoided.

Full review ↗

TRM 3.3

Laal Kaptaan

2019 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2019

Saif Ali Khan's slow-burning period Western beautifully sets up its period and ambition, only to peter off at the most crucial juncture.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.0

Jabariya Jodi

2019 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2019

Like Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra's characters, this film can't make up its mind whether it wants to be a social satire, a love story or a masala entertainer.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.4−1.4

Arjun Patiala

2019 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2019

Diljit Dosanjh, Kriti Sanon's parody film fails to take off despite its talented cast. The punches don't land as stuttering and belching stand in for jokes.

Full review ↗

TRM 3.7−0.7

Bharat

2019 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2019

This Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif Eid release is epic in its scale - starting from Partition, touching on Pandit Nehru's era, it fast forwards us to 2010 with Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Manmohan Singh as reference points

Full review ↗

TRM 5.8+0.2

The Tashkent Files

2019 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2019

Disgusting propaganda in which truth is a luxury...A host of worthy actors including Pankaj Tripathi and Naseeruddin Shah are wasted in this political propaganda on PM Lal Bahadur Shastri's death.

Full review ↗

TRM 3.5−1.5

Luka Chuppi

2019 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2019

The film has a positive message but it takes its own sweet time coming. However, I will take what we are getting in today's political climate. Aparshakti's Abbas, who has had enough of everyday religious bias, tells a man, "Alien nahi hu, Muslim hu." The hypocrisy of vigilante justice in the name of saving our sanskriti is called out, "Yeh dharm nahi hai, mudda hai chunaav ke liye." An extra half star, just for that.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.2−0.2

Namaste England

2018 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2018

Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor contribute to a silly and sexist film with their one-dimensional performances.

Full review ↗

TRM 3.1−1.1

Loveratri

2018 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2018

Loveyatri or Loveratri, the Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain film is an assault on your senses.

Full review ↗

TRM 3.8

Batti Gul Meter Chalu

2018 · Hindustan Times · Sept 2018

Butti Gul Meter Chalu had a lot of promise, but just like the government it targets, it fails to deliver.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.00.0

Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se

2018 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2018

Dharmendra, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol fire their cottage industry once again with disastrous consequences for the audience.

Full review ↗

TRM 2.8−0.8

Gold

2018 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2018

Overall, Gold is a well plotted drama that sometimes devolves into schmaltz and melodrama. However, it gives us solid two-and-half hours of tricolour hued entertainment. We suggest XL sized popcorn tubs.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.0+1.0

Fanney Khan

2018 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2018

Everything ends well for everyone, strike one for melodrama. What begins as a slice-of-life film about following your dreams ends as a fairytale. It is charming but not rooted in reality. Life isn't that forgiving; but perhaps the audiences will be.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.4+1.6

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

2016 · Indian Express · Oct 2016

The chemistry of all the couples is palpable, so is the hurt. Love comes in all shapes and sizes — sometimes it comes with violins, sometimes it shows you the middle finger. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is the latter, maybe that is why it feels so real.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.1

Inferno

2016 · Indian Express · Oct 2016

Tom Hanks, Irrfan Khan-starrer is an adaptation of Dan Brown's torturous novel. The only improvement it has on the book is that it ends in two hours.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.8−0.8

Central Intelligence

2016 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2016

The trouble lies in director Rawson Marshall Thurber's patchy handling of the story. There are moments when the film is slow and sluggish, and then it is on steroids with hyper action. Those are the moments when you thanks god that you are in this ride with a big Johnson and a little Hart. Also, watch out for the cameos both credited and not.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.7+0.3

The Jungle Book

2016 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2016

The Jungle Book is no longer cute and cuddly but a tale of survival. This time, it really is a jungle out there. But I can guarantee one thing, once you and your children do enter it, you would not want to leave.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.5+0.5

Kung Fu Panda 3

2016 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2016

The film offers entertainment for children while being substantive enough to keep the parents engaged. What it is not, is fresh. It offers everything we have come to expect from the franchise without breaking any new ground. The sense of wonder that we associated with the first two films is missing this time round. And that is disappointing coming from a film whose tagline is, "Be the best you can."

Full review ↗

TRM 6.6+0.4

London Has Fallen

2016 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2016

If you like destruction porn, London has Fallen is the film for you. The CGI may not be the best we have seen in recent times but it does the job. Much more than the London bridge will come falling down as the film progresses. Action junkies, if a popcorn cruncher with enough flag waving is what you are looking for, stop reading this review and book your tickets.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.8

The Revenant

2016 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2016

My only grouse with the film is that it is such an obvious Oscar bait. With 12 nominations, it seems to have checked all the right boxes. It will hopefully make one man and his legion of fans very happy. For the commitment DiCaprio brings to the film, it wil be well deserved.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.1+0.9

Spotlight

2016 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2016

Inarguably one of the finest films on investigative journalism, Spotlight is an excellent critique of what blind deference to authority or faith can do to you. The problem affects India and America equally.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.7+0.3

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

2015 · Hindustan Times · Dec 2015

Smartly paced and full of wit characteristic of the series, this film is a copybook exercise in storytelling. There are holes in the script and obvious McGuffins but while the film lasts, you are prepared to ignore them. As it ends, you are already waiting for its sequel and some answers. You want to see the character arc of people both old and new because Abrams has etched them in your memory. He has created a whole new world which may be derivative but hey, we will be more than happy to live in it.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.7+0.3

The Peanuts Movie

2015 · Hindustan Times · Dec 2015

The Peanuts Movie is like an old fuzzy blanket which you can wrap around yourself on a cold winter morning. It is the film equivalent of comfort food, the feeling of meeting old friends on the first day of a new school session – it is nostalgia and we all know how sweet that can be.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.2−0.2

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2

2015 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2015

What keeps the film together is its caustic take on global issues such as hunger for power, media manipulation and power vacuum. It teaches Katniss and its key audience a very important lesson – victory brings its own horrors. One only wishes, its entertainment value was on that level too.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.2−2.2

Spectre

2015 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2015

For those who are going to compare it to Skyfall, this simply isn't as good. There is neither the emotional connect nor the sweet melancholy that inhabited the last film, but it is a joyous ride nonetheless. And for what he made out of Bond, we owe this to Daniel Craig as he dons the tux for the very last time. You also owe it to the teenager inside you who loves the whirl of excitement the way only Bond can give - shaken not stirred.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.1−0.1

The Last Witch Hunter

2015 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2015

It is apparent that Caine and Wood are just cashing their pay cheque. Even though Vin Diesel is earnest and trying hard, he cannot help this B-grade adventure/fantasy which also works like a whodunit without thrills. If you are not creeped out by its misogyny, you are bored beyond endurance by its predictability.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.0−2.0

Bridge of Spies

2015 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2015

Based on a true story, the film brings together director Steven Spielberg and actor Tom Hanks together for the fourth time. Add the Coen Brothers who spit-and-polished the script by Matt Charman and you have a dream team. It is ingredients like these which make for Oscar baits, and, make no mistake, Bridge of Spies is likely to be mentioned in the noms soon.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.9+1.1

The Martian

2015 · Hindustan Times · Oct 2015

The Martian, directed by Ridley Scott -- in rare form, is a throwback to those brave days of space exploration, peppered with enough wry wit and thrills to keep you entertained. But essentially, it is a nod to indomitable human will, initiative and the thirst to go where no man has gone before.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.1+0.9

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

2015 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2015

Split screens, crazy camera angles and shots which are obsessive in terms of their details, he gives you all. But with no charm, an oft-repeated plot and leads that fail to enchant, this is not a film for the ages or even something you will be referencing next year.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.7−0.7

Fantastic Four

2015 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2015

The only comfort is that this will keep the studio away from thinking about a sequel to this ill-advised $120 million film. Oh that waste of money should give us all visceral, physical pain. And from a film about how the human race is squandering its resources!

Full review ↗

TRM 4.0−2.0

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

2015 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2015

Mission Impossible franchise has gathered a momentum all its own and there's just no stopping it. MI 6 is something of a cert. The only question on which we are ready to take a bet is how Cruise will try to get himself killed this time.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.00.0

Ant-Man

2015 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2015

The fact that we are dealing with a superhero and his arch-nemesis who can be swatted away by a badminton paddle keeps things in perspective. An 'ant hero' cuts the superhero imagery to size. Rudd and team are not taking his Earth-saving abilities seriously and neither should you. This one is a summer blockbuster that should be treated as such.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.2−0.2

Terminator Genisys

2015 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2015

Suffice is to say that Terminator Genisys will keep you entertained, as long as you don't ask too much of it. Oh yes, don't forget that bag of popcorn with a generous dollop of cheese.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.7+0.3

Inside Out

2015 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2015

As Joy and Sadness' buddy chemistry grows, the film forces us to face us with one essential fact - sometimes we need to embrace blue. Probably a lesson you don't expect from a Pixar film or in a multiplex but a little bit of soul searching never hurt anybody.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.5−0.5

San Andreas

2015 · Hindustan Times · May 2015

This particular disaster film is in shambles and it seems even The Rock cannot rescue it.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.9

Tomorrowland

2015 · Hindustan Times · May 2015

With the narrative shifting between various dimensions and story shifting gears, the film suffers from uneven storytelling. There are dull periods in between where the action sags and your attention wanders. George Clooney, on whose name the film is being sold, doesn't really enter the action till very late.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.1−0.1

Mad Max: Fury Road

2015 · Hindustan Times · May 2015

Every single shot in the film shows power of his brute imagination, those cinematic touches founded in layers of imagery and high-octane action. Grim yet exhilarating, it may be one of the more powerful movies this year. Yeah, it is that kind of a film.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.4+0.6

Furious 7

2015 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2015

There are good films, bad films and some plain ridiculous ones. And then there is a critic-proof phenomena like Fast and Furious franchise which fuses all of the above and comes up with a brand all its own. This one is a blockbuster with smack-you-in-your-face set pieces, death-defying stunts, muscle cars, family-first ethos, ridiculous one-liners which get all the taalis and an apology of a plot.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.2+1.8

Chappie

2015 · Hindustan Times · Mar 2015

The film borrows heavily from RoboCop and AI Artificial Intelligence but lacks that touch which made these films human and real. In one word, what the film lacks is heart.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.3−2.3

Kingsman: The Secret Service

2015 · Hindustan Times · Feb 2015

It is down to director Matthew Vaughan (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) that the film has that deranged yet boisterous quality about it. However, this one's only for those who can stomach unimaginable quantities of violence. The rest, like Valentine, need to look the other way.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.9+0.1

Mortdecai

2015 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2015

... grand when it comes to scale and production values. The clothes are grand enough and so are the mansions and castles where it has been filmed. It is a pity then that it also has to be so boring.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.3−0.3

The Theory of Everything

2015 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2015

Even though the film is about a fulfilling marriage that finally fails, it never degenerates into negativity. The underlying message is that of hope, as put in words by the physicist himself, "While there is life, there is hope." We will toast to that.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.5+1.5

Taken 3

2015 · Hindustan Times · Jan 2015

The only redeeming factor of Taken 3 is that it is supposed to be the last film of the franchise. We are sure Neeson can do something vastly superior with his time.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.0−1.0

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

2014 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2014

The greedy suits have gone ahead and wrecked our cinematic experience once again. Where we could have had a cracker of an end to the Hunger Games franchise, what we get is half a novel, which, as expected, has more pauses than action, more waiting than doing.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.2+1.8

John Wick

2014 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2014

An 'A' film this is not but if some good old action is what you are looking for, this is your manna from heaven. Just leave your thinking caps behind.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.3−1.3

Interstellar

2014 · Hindustan Times · Nov 2014

Despite the complaints, this is one intergalactic trip the audience needs to take. It may not match up to those touchstones of sci-fi cinema - Solaris and 2001: A Space Odyssey but it finds its place in pantheon of films which dare to dream.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.4−0.4

The Expendables 3

2014 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2014

Watch this one if you are a true blue fan of '80s action thrillers who would like one more walk down the nostalgia lane with 'old' heroes. For the rest of us, it is time to dust out those old CDs and watch a re-run of their truly good films.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.0−1.0

Guardians of the Galaxy

2014 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2014

Probably the most light-hearted Marvel movie, this one pulls you in with its wacky narrative turns and keeps you engaged in a world far, far away where anything can happen. If a popcorn cruncher is what you are out for, grab the tickets for this one. You will not be unhappy when at the end of the film, they tell you that they have just turned this one into yet another franchise. Bring them on, we say.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.9−0.9

Hercules

2014 · Hindustan Times · Aug 2014

Fans of sword-and-sandal films are bound to like this one as well. Just leave your thinking caps at home.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.1−0.1

The Grand Budapest Hotel

2014 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2014

The film is a screwball comedy in its truest sense. Buoyant and idiosyncratic, opulent and silly, this one is for lovers of cinema that goes beyond Hollywood mainstream.

Full review ↗

TRM 7.6−0.6

Planes: Fire & Rescue

2014 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2014

Does the film work for adults? Not really, unless you are talking about a few good dialogues and some throwbacks. But before you accompany your kid to the films, here's a fair warning: this is no Toy Story, this is just about them.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.7

The Fault in Our Stars

2014 · Hindustan Times · Jul 2014

While the film does get manipulative in places and is practically begging you to bubble, mostly it is infused with warmth, humour and acerbic comments. Scriptwriters do a commendable job in keeping the film funny and engaging and ensuring that the pathos don't overpower us. Even then, carry your kerchiefs. But rest assured, you will come out of the theatre smiling.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.1+0.9

Transformers: Age of Extinction

2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014

With the fourth film in the franchise, one would hope, almost pray, that Bay is close to wrapping up the franchise. The truth is far from it. The next film is in the works and the climax of this one has sown its seeds. Going by how the earlier Transformers have done, it will leave the box office jingling. But we will be reading history or solving calculus - that's so much easier to follow!

Full review ↗

TRM 5.0−1.0

How to Train Your Dragon 2

2014 · Hindustan Times · Jun 2014

Unlike the usual kiddie fare, the underlying theme of this film is dark. It is not just any other animation film and brings up issues which need to be dealt with. It is a metaphor for how humans deal with ecology and also questions if peace is an option in the real world. The darkness is balanced well with humour in the film and even in the climactic sequence, you will find something to smile over. In fact, that's what you will find yourself doing when credits roll.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.8+0.2

Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi

2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014

There's a lot of dramatic and comic potential in Punjabi Delhi and Bollywood has been using it to the hilt for a few years now. Band Baaja Baraat, Fukrey, Vicky Donor being just a few examples of how it needs to be done. Kuku Sharma Ki Jhand Ho Gayi, alas, is not one of those films.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.6

Blended

2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014

There was a time when Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore together spelt romance, with a generous dose of laughter thrown in. In Frank Coraci's Blended, they just make you cringe and feel sorry for them.

Full review ↗

TRM 4.5

X-Men: Days of Future Past

2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014

While it is hard to figure out why the film is in 3D and there are bits which could have easily been edited, the film makes for a very satisfying watch on the whole and is a worthy addition to the franchise universe.

Full review ↗

TRM 6.6

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

2014 · Hindustan Times · May 2014

If the plot has you confused, the number of climaxes will make you swoon. There are three of them. Somewhere in the middle, you want to call a time out and ask them to stop. They end with a promise of a sequel, though. Long live, Spider-Man.

Full review ↗

TRM 5.9

Samrat & Co.

2014 · Hindustan Times · Apr 2014

You may laugh at the unintenational gaffes during the film but after the climax, you are afraid. STD says he'll be back with a sequel. When that happens, I will be watching the re-runs of Sherlock. I advice you to do the same.

Full review ↗

TRM 3.0