I'm looking for something introductory and accessible. I know basically nothing. I'm interested in the development of the technology, the most influential films and the different movements, how films became part of popular culture, how they were perceived, basically everything.
Movie-Made America by Robert Sklar is considered to be one of the most important works of film history. It touches on all of those topics and more. https://www.amazon.com/Movie-Made-America-Cultural-History-American/dp/0679755497