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Hollywood’s Report Card, According to High School Kids, Pt. 3

My annual sit-down with a candid group of teen moviegoers, who share their brutally unfiltered thoughts on the stars and stories that do (and don’t) get them into theaters—from ‘Spider-Man’ (“always gonna hit”) to Spielberg (“He’s no Nolan”) to Sydney Sweeney (“like… no”).

Spider-Man: Brand New Day
“Spider-Man, going off of the last three, it feels like an event,” one teen told Puck. Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios
Matthew Belloni
May 1, 2026

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They’re back! For the past few years, I’ve been sitting down with a group of high school kids for their takes on both the upcoming summer movies and their theatergoing habits in general. Given the disconnect between the C-suites of Hollywood and the people who actually consume their product, the conversations are often surprising and illuminating. (I ripped off this bit from an old L.A. Times feature by Patrick Goldstein, updated for the social media generation.)