147 - Dumbo (with Calvin Dyson)

Guest: Calvin Dyson

Films covered in this episode

Dumbo
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 67%

This week has everything from deep explorations of race politics, dubious accusations of animal cruelty against Thomas Edison, a quiz game and, of course, discussion of Dumbo... Disney's beloved classic film and the upcoming Tim Burton remake.

Check out our Patreon here!

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

DR25 Disney.png

145 - For Your Eyes Only (with Calvin Dyson)

Guest: Calvin Dyson

Films covered in this episode:

For Your Eyes Only
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰
Overall score: 50%

For your ears only (not really, it's for anyone who wants to listen, sorry)... but that shouldn't matter because it's Diminishing Returns returning to James Bond once more.

Check out our Patreon here!

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

DR14 James Bond.png

144 - The Incredible Hulk

Films covered in this episode:

The Incredible Hulk Returns
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: n/s
Overall score: 60%

Hulk
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰
Overall score: 45%

The Incredible Hulk
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 65%

With yet another entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe upon us in the form of Captain Marvel, here's a look back to the second film in the franchise: The Incredible Hulk.

We also take a look at the 1978 TV series, its spin-off movies and Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk.

Check out our Patreon here!

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

DR21 Marvel.png

143 - All Diminishing, All Returns (with Calvin Dyson)

Guest: Calvin Dyson

Here, for you, are a selection of never-heard-before (and very old) clips from Allen's cutting-room floor. Hear cut discussion from episodes like Psycho, Alien and others, as well as the story about when Sol and Allen were going to get a pet chimp when they lived together and yet more cut material from that huge quiz episode we did to celebrate our episode-count turning 100.

concept2.png

142 - Oscars 2019 (with Calvin Dyson)

Guest: Calvin Dyson

Films covered in this episode:

Black Panther
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 70%

BlacKkKlansman
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 70%

Bohemian Rhapsody
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 55%

The Favourite
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

Green Book
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 80%

Roma
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 50%

A Star is Born
Allen: ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 64%

Vice
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 80%

and also…

Mary Queen of Scots
Allen: ✰ ✰
Cakvin: n/s
Sol: n/s
Overall score: 40%

The Big Short
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 80%

It's the third annual Oscars blowout at Diminishing Returns, taking aim at all of this year's Best Picture nominees:
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book
Roma
A Star is Born
Vice

...and a few other films that sneak into the discussion along the way.

Check out our Patreon here!

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

DR38 awards.png

141 - Fifty Shades Freed (with Calvin Dyson)

Guest: Calvin Dyson

Films covered in this episode:

Fifty Shades Freed
Allen: ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ½
Overall score: 30%

The Diminishing Returns' annual Valentine's Day special sees out the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy with a look at Fifty Shades Freed. As ever, it's more of an excuse to talk about sex than a real celebration of (very bad) cinema.

Check out our Patreon here!

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

DR36 Fifty Shades of Grey.png

140 - Kevin Smith Season III (with Scott Chambers)

Guest: Scott Chambers

Films covered in this episode:

Red State
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Scott: ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 64%

Jay and Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie
Allen: ✰ ✰
Scott: n/s
Sol: ✰
Overall score: 30%

Tusk
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Scott: ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 50%

Yoga Hosers
Allen: ✰ ½
Scott: ½
Sol: ✰ ½
Overall score: 24%

Much like the latter end of Kevin Smith's career, Kevin Smith Season trundles along to a whimpering finale with a look at Red State, Tusk, Jay and Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie, Yoga Hosers and the many, many Kevin Smith projects that have been announced and will probably never happen.

Check out our Patreon here!

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

concept2.png

139 - Kevin Smith Season II

Films covered in this episode:

Jersey Girl
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 65%

Clerks II
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 75%

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

Cop Out
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰
Overall score: 40%

Kevin Smith continues with a look at the awkward Hollywood years...

Check out our Patreon here!

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

concept2.png

138 - We Need to Talk About Kevin (Smith): Kevin Smith Season (with Paul Brear)

Guest: Paul Brear

Films covered in this episode:

Clerks
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Brear: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 80%

Mallrats
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Brear: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 74%

Chasing Amy
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Brear: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 77%

Dogma
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Brear: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 77%

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Brear: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 64%

How do you follow up a season of episodes looking at a filmmaker as innovative and revered as Quentin Tarantino? By not even trying and just looking at the works of Kevin Smith, instead. In this, part 1 of Kevin Smith season, Diminishing Returns is joined by friend-of-the-show Paul Brear to discuss Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

concept2.png

137 - Split (with Calvin Dyson)

Guest: Calvin Dyson

Films covered in this episode:

Split
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 74%

The twist is that M. Night Shyamalan Season wasn't over - that's right, we return to the infamous writer/director's work with a look at Split in anticipation of the upcoming film Glass. For obvious reasons, we take another big look at Unbreakable, too.

Also, spoiler alert for Split and some other past M. Night movies.

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud
Stitcher
PlayerFM

DR31 M. Night Shyamalan.png

136 - Laurel & Hardy and Way Out West (with Calvin Dyson)

Guest: Calvin Dyson

Films covered in this episode:

One Good Turn
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 64%

Thicker than Water
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 64%

Way Out West
Allen: ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 60%

Stan and Ollie
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 75%

In anticipation of upcoming John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan awards grab, Stan and Ollie, Diminishing Returns indulge Calvin's love of Laurel & Hardy by looking at their careers, a couple of their shorts and their best known feature: Way Out West. Did I say in anticipation of Stan and Ollie? That's not quite accurate because Sol's already seen it. So that film gets reviewed as well.

Listen on:
iTunes
Android
SoundCloud

concept2.png