For me a good example of why cinematics are great is bringing characters to life. For that, you really need to see their faces up close. Jaheira, for example, is a much more developed character (to me) in BG III, just because I can see how she acts and talks. That's decidely different from reading text next to a small portrait.
So true. I never played BG1 & 2, but I knew who she was through some lore stuff. So the moment I saw Jaheira in BG3 she immediately captivated me, her entrance to the story was pretty grandiose and sets her up as an incredibly experienced warrior that's been through a lot. To me her whole introductory cutscene did her a favor, especially with Karlach fangirling so hard
