Her Private Hell makes Nicolas Winding Refn’s other movies feel lamestream accessible in comparison. 

A list of auteurs who seem like either reference points or comparisons for this new release, now in theaters:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder, latter-day David Cronenberg, Quentin Dupieux, a DIY version of Blade Runner 2049’s aesthetics, Wong Kar-Wai, Knife + Heart, Jane Schoenbrun.

Some directors make movies to be conventionally enjoyed far and wide…and other directors make movies that appear to be for no one, a troll even to the nichest. 

But some of us enjoy the perennial struggle of hopelessly wrestling to form even a basic understanding of WTF a movie is about, on any level. If “WTF am I watching” is on one end of a spectrum, and on the other are movies that perfectly clarify everything you’re watching and why by all but screaming the points at you…

Well, there’s a reason that common putdowns like “inscrutable” and “illegible” and “incomprehensible” count as praise in my book.

Relatedly, the title will end up describing audience’s experience with Her Private Hell…which contains multiple lines about inflicting pain through a movie. 

Again: troll.