It seems it all comes down to the stupid dungeon/instance/batte timer counting down while we're watching cutscenes. And i agree that it annoys me as well.

I for one enjoy and love watching the cutscenes and don't understand why people feel like ignoring them. Then again this current generation of people and gamers can't seem to wait to get to the action. A noticeable trend these days. People not caring for story, only wanting the action. Not even bothering to let something slowly pace up to the eventual action.

Also cutscenes never tend to break my pace. Instead they fire me up. That includes the cutscenes after a phase. Heck I'm even looking forward to them.

I'll end by saying that I /REALLY/ hate it when people are urging my to skip a cutscene with the excuse that I can watch it at my inn. I don't work like that. I want to see the cutscene when I'm actually doing the stuff. Not afterwards, not to mention that some cutscenes show your entire party. Which doesn't happen while replaying them inside the inn.