"The term realism comes from a literary art movement of the nineteenth century The focus was on ordinary life - indeed the lives of the socially deprived and the conditions that had to bear"(Hayward 311). Many good examples of a "realistic" film would be documentaries and non-fiction stories. One ideological film that questions the restrains of reality (not only in film but in society) is The Matrix. Some critics would say that no film could ever portray reality, just a misjudgment of realty. An example of this would be to state,.
"The highest degree of reality is achieved by filming from one angle a part of the world in which the filmmakers did not interfere. What is filmed under such conditions however, is not reality; it's a part of it, a cutout, a choice. At the very least, film implies a manipulation of space. In case of editing, that is if a new unity is created out of different takes, it also implies a manipulation of time. A limited realism at best, and actually no realism at all." .
This very scientific, non-interpretive way of looking at films is not very developmental to the mind. In a film such as The Matrix, a first glance of the film would definitely lead one to consider it as a non-realistic film; albeit, if The Matrix can be analyzed and looked upon in a multi-linear fashion. It is a perfect example of how time and space can be manipulated into something the audience perceives as real. I would have to agree that although the ideas could very well be real someday, that they are just a manipulation of the space provided which in turn manipulates time.
In a world where everything is seen for what it is and nothing more, could it be possible that this is all one giant deception? The Matrix introduces this into mainstream society and defiantly makes people wonder what is real and what is surreal. Yes, indeed most of the things that happen in this film are totally unrealistic to anything the world has ever seen.