Technics of storytelling compared

There are different technics of storytelling in movies. [b]1. straight[/b] From the beginning, you know what is going on and maybe you can guess more or less what will happen. For example in "Armageddon", you exactly know the impact (asteroid), the characters (some cool guy, some scared guy, some love story..), the development of the story (some problems occur, but they resolve it) and the end (happy end mostly, the heroes saved the world again, mostly americans..). [b]2. blur with surprising conclusion at the end[/b] You never know what really goes on. All seems "strange" and seems to make less sense. But at the end, there is some "solution", like in "The 6th sense" you dont know what is going on, very mystery, but at the end this BIG surprise, Bruce Willis has been shot and everthing that happened before makes some weird sense. Or in "The other ones" with nicole kidman, very mystery and strange, but at the end everything is clear - it was the whole time about the view from ghosts, what was new and really good story. [b]3. confusing with partial or no conclusion at the end[/b] Some strange mysterious things going on, but in opposite to the "blur" technic, you simply dont get any answer or conclusion. This is the most despiteful kind of storytelling, as its the CONCEPT to leave you confused as it plays with your brain and knows that it will be discussed for years, but noone (maybe even the writer) does not have any answer. Some big "cult movies" use this technic, like alien or most david lynch movies. You can think about it as long as you want, you can never resolve the puzzle complete. Its like a dream, it does not make lot of sense, but it does trigger some feelings to the audience. As in david lynch movies you KNOW before you enter the cinema that there mostly will be NO conclusion at all, you may like this kind of storytelling as it stimulates your creativity "beyond" logic. In sci-fi we have for example "2001" from Kubrick - the last scene "seems" to try to make it visible, how it is to come to another "dimension", where you are old man and embryo at the same time. Not "normal" logic, and it was interesting indeed. ------------------------------------------------- According to prometheus, it seems to be a "straight" story, but when the lights go on, you realize that it is "confusing" style of storytelling. So the plot fools you completely and thats what causes a feeling of confusion and the absence of satisfaction. You may go out and simply forget and mark the plot as "crap" and stop thinking about it, or your intellect is "triggered" and trys desperately to solve the puzzle - what is not possible as that is the trick, presenting you a puzzle that is not resolvable at all. Maybe just some parts can be resolved, thats additional stich in your brain as you may think - oh, as it was possible to resolve THIS question, than all the hundred other open questions must ALSO be resolvable! ---------------------------------------------------- The Trick, Potter, is not minding that there is a complete conclusion, as there is none... So enjoy and dont expect anything.