Linear-
Linear means essentially a normal film which is in a chronological order and refers to a film which is in the ordinary an ordinary order and structure, it starts at the start and ends at the end . A good example of a Linear film is Die Hard which uses a Linear narrative structure and it and doing so I gives us a real time plot and keeps the tension and speed which keeps tension within the audience. Another and perhaps the best example of a Linear narrative structure is Gravity which has many takes as long as 12minutes this helps to keep good pacing in the film without clouding the narrative with any flashbacks or disorder.
Non Linear-
Non Linear means the opposite as you'd imagon of Linear it means a story of a film which is a non chronological order as in not in the correct order. eg starts at the end, finishes at the start. Memento the twisted confusing film by christopher nolan is a prefect example as it dosent start at the start and doesn't end at the end. Another more more obvious example is Quentin Tarrentinos Pulp Fiction which is also not in a chronological order so much so that one of the characters is shown alive at the end but dies 3/4 through the film.
Realist
Realist cinema speck for itself in a way and refers to a film which is set in a realistic film and set in a world which we can relate to as our own. good examples of films in this category are films about human history as they are set within the world we inhabit. Eg Saving Private Ryan a film about the events of D-Day which occoured on the 6th of june 1944 which is in living memory for some watchers. This narrative structure is not just limited to factual films but films such as Drive can also be in it which is just a plain realistic film based on non-factual events.
Anti Realist
Aint Realist as you'd imagine is quite the opposite of realist and film Genres in this structure include Sci fi, some action films and fantasy film. An Obvious film choice for this Structure is Lord of the rings which is set in a fantasy land and non one that people can't relate to and is defiantly Anti realist. Where as some of the locations on lord of the rings may be recognisabel in star wars which is set the whole time in other worlds and is as anti realistic as it gets. Then in my opinion theres some in-between films such as Fast and Furious which take place in the world that we live in and although technicually the events of the film could happen the stunts and the car driving is VERY un realist.
Flashback
Films which are telling a Story of something which has usually happened a long time ago. Eg David Finchers The Social Network the real time in the story is set in a court room and the choristers then from the court room describe memories and events which have happened within the last few years. An extreme example of this is Titanic which features an very elderly lady recounting her experiences seventy years earlier when she sailed on the ship the Titanic.
Open ending
An open ending to a film means it ends without the narrative having been finished off or still leaving the audience with deliberately unanswered questions. A great example of this is Christopher
Nolan's Inception which ends leaving the audience guessing whether Dom Cobb is in reality or in a dream. Another more common example is Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels which ends with one of the characters leaning off a bridge reaching for a gun which is worth £ 200,000 the audience never finds out if he gets it or not.
Closed ending
Closed ending speaks for itself in a way as it literally means a film ends with all the questions answerd and nothing left to be told which is bacilli most films so it won't be very hard to give examples. (spoilers) Gladiator obviously has a closed ending as Maximus Decimus Meridious
is killed by his woulds at then end of the film leaving no possibility of a sequel. Though the main character doesn't die Drive still has a closed ending.
