Branded to Kill is presented as a tough action movie, but it evolves into an oddball dark comedy, meandering through scenes that don’t quite connect and featuring unusual visuals. The story centers on a portly assassin with a fixation on the aroma of cooking rice, consistently challenging typical gangster film tropes with surreal humor and a sense of disorder. Seijun Suzuki takes what might have been a standard tale …

I’d suggest that people who typically dislike films presented in black and white or those with subtitles give this one a try. It feels like an exceptionally funny, brilliant work. Suzuki’s crime movies are something of a treat for serious film fans—and this is certainly among his strongest efforts. I feel very strongly about recommending it. If you're looking for a genuinely good laugh, appreciate cinema, and haven't…