Kathi Wolfe: A Smirk, a Smile, a Clenched Fist: What the Movies Taught Me to See

At the movies, for the first time, close to the giant silver screen, I could see clenched fists, grimaces, smiles, nods and other expressions and gestures. Back in the day, I would have had no idea of what a life hack was. But that’s what movies have been for me.

I'm gonna be honest, I had never really considered the accessibility angle of movies, but it makes me love them even more.

Also:

My everyday life, like that of everyone I’ve ever known, isn’t like the movies. I’m not, like Norma Desmond, getting ready for my close-up. I’ve had some lovely romances but never as magical as in “The Philadelphia Story.” I have moments of existential dread. But I’m not Laurence Olivier in “Hamlet.”

This is what I love about movies myself; they let me experience something distinct from my day-to-day life in a very visceral way. I know different media does this for different people, but movies have always connected with me and have helped me have more empathy for people with experiences unlike my own.