The article discusses the increasing runtimes of films over the decades, highlighting that movies are now, on average, about 10 minutes longer than they were 20 years ago. Research by Stephen Follows shows that while the average runtime has remained around 100-103 minutes since the 1980s, wide theatrical releases have seen a significant increase, particularly in action films. The piece questions whether this trend reflects changing audience preferences or is simply a result of studios trying to justify ticket prices.