Why Can't We Sit Through a Movie Anymore?

When was the last time you watched an entire movie without checking your phone? I'm sure many of us open instagram or reply to messages while a movie is still playing. I also noticed a few people checking their phones in the movie theater this weekend. Sometimes, if the beginning of a movie feels slow, we feel like it is boring. A 2 hour movie can now feel like a huge deal, even though we spend the same amount of time by doomscrolling without noticing.

Short-form content (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) has changed the way we consume entertainment.

These videos are designed to catch our attention within the first few seconds. There is always something new. If one video is not interesting, we can simply just swipe to the next one. Since we have become used to receiving entertainment so quickly, movies can feel slow in comparison.

Movies need time to build their stories. A quiet scene may show how a character is feeling without directly explaining it. A slow beginning may introduce details that become important later. Even a long pause or conversation can help create tension and allow the audience to understand the characters more deeply. When we skip these scenes or watch them while looking at another screen, we will not fully experience it.

Short movie summaries have also become common online. Instead of watching a full movie, some people watch a 10 minute video that explains the entire plot. This may be convenient, but knowing the plot is not the same as watching the movie. It is similar to reading a summary of a novel and saying that you have experienced the book. A summary can tell us who the characters are and how the story ends, but it cannot fully deliver the acting, music, cinematography, or emotions that make a movie memorable.

Short-form content lets us watch more, but it does not always help us experience more. Movies were not created to be understood through a few clips or just a summary. The solution is not to delete every social media app or stop watching short videos. Instead, we should become more aware of how we watch movies. We can put our phones away, avoiding checking the remaining time. Watching with full attention may feel difficult at first, but it can help us notice small details.