The Big Picture - Podcast Rankings and reviews

As a huge movie fan of all genres, I initially loved The Big Picture. The hosts' reviews and discussions helped me develop my own ability to analyze and appreciate film.

However, in the past year, the show seems to have shifted towards a more critical and dismissive tone, particularly towards popular movies like comic book adaptations. While I appreciate in-depth analysis, I miss the balance that celebrated all types of filmmaking, from blockbusters to indies.

For listeners who enjoy a critical approach to film, this podcast remains a good choice. But for those who, like me, value discussion across genres, The Big Picture might not be the perfect fit anymore.

Arguably one of the best serialized podcasts I have ever heard. Does a wonderful job of analyzing the war through the prism of different decades, the movies of those decades, and how their proximity to the war itself helped to define those decades. The entire podcast was a great experience.

Thank you for this Podcast! I switched over to listening to The Big Picture early this year when another film podcast I was listening to got too pretentious. The dynamic between Sean and Amanda is fun - yin and yang. I'm constantly impressed by Sean's film knowledge and I am so appreciative that Amanda brings an alternate/female perspective. Her perspective may differ from mine, but as a female film lover, representation greatly matters to me. I look forward to every episode. I’m especially looking forward to this year’s Oscar’s season!

Great show! Love how Amanda and Sean balance each other out. Amanda’s infection and enthusiasm is so charming. Sean is just a movie savant; so impressive. I really love how broad and deep their knowledge is of movies and culture. I really like when they go deep into one movie per episode. Can’t wait for awards season with this pod!! ❤️

Long time listener who is sorry to say that I have given up on this podcast. I actually find Sean Fennessy a more than competent host. He is charming and displays great humor as well as deft interviewing style. While Sean has wit, warmth and expertise his “co host” has few of these attributes. Amanda does have a knowledge of film but her awful delivery negates any the very information she wishes to impart to the audience. I cannot listen further to this show and trust me I tried for years. Some direct advice for Amanda, learn to engage in conversations without interrupting. I guarantee you this trait puts listeners off. Sean is a draw and I’ll enjoy listening to him sitting in on the Rewatchables or other Ringer shows. Simply put, the Big Picture needs to make a change and for now I’m done.

Lately, Amanda’s rants are putting the show on the brink of unlistenable. I have turned off multiple eps recently that I was looking forward to over that. The post-Oscar eps were the nadir. She sounded unhinged and added nothing to the conversation. And we get it. You went to Venice.

There are plenty of informed, intelligent, and engaging women film critics, so why they went with someone who doesn’t appear to be informed about much film history and mostly just lives to push Nancy Meyers pap and cling to some sort of younger generation relevance is hard to understand. Basicness is everywhere. It doesn’t need a champion.

The hosts also spend way too much time on their personal lives. I don’t care about where you ate before or after the movie. 20 minutes on Cheesecake Factory? Really?

When they get down to industry analysis, it is usually interesting. I wonder if some of this shift is related to the state of the film business; not enough to talk about, perhaps. Adding 20 on your personal lives is not preferable to an interesting 40-60 minutes. This used to be an engaging listen and is really losing its value.