Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Should I Start Watching Movies Again? | Cal Newport

February 21, 2026|Original: 1h 8m|10 key insights|5 min read

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Key Insights

Film professors report students literally cannot sit through movies anymore—and it's gotten worse since the pandemic

The shocking reason: people now switch between apps every 47 seconds (down from every 2.5 minutes in 2004)

Streaming services are now forcing filmmakers to repeat plots 3-4 times in dialogue because viewers won't stop looking at their phones

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