The most expensive Korean film ever made, and the return of Zelda

A new weekly instalment of Decoder, Il Foglio’s column dedicated entirely to pop culture: a veritable guide to navigating this vast world through all its new releases, whilst also inviting readers to delve into the classics by immersing themselves in comics, films, series and games. In short, it’s about constantly finding new entry points that might spark a passion or, why not, introduce you for the first time to a world you may have heard of but never explored in depth. So, once again this week, here are three recommendations, three entry points, three reference points to help guide you through this multiverse of diverse forms of expression.

In the world of comics, a strange, experimental and brilliant work published by the independent collective Trincea Ibiza: "Cattivella: Servant of Two Fast Food Restaurants", by Martoz.  A visually psychedelic narrative in which the artist takes precarious employment, capitalism, retail chains and class relations and distorts them through a grotesque fantasy that is, yes, a standalone story, but at the same time also a spin-off from Nove Maghi, the project with which Trincea Ibiza had given rise to its own ‘Magoverso’. Hilarious, brilliant and unmissable. 

Turning to the world of film and television, we head to Korea with "Hope", the new film by Na Hong-jin, in Italian cinemas from 5 November, distributed by MUBI. A sci-fi feature film with a massive budget and spectacular action sequences, which starts off as a classic monster movie but then sees constant twists and turns in perspective, in a truly ambitious project – perhaps a little over the top – but one that’s worth watching if only for the extremely long opening sequence.

Finally, in the world of gaming, there’s news of the return of what many consider to be the best video game in history: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, marking a major revival of the 1998 classic in a completely new guise. This title features remastered graphics, an orchestral soundtrack, expanded dialogue, and modernised cutscenes and controls. This is a project that carries with it a great deal of responsibility, but one that also allows a new generation to experience Ocarina of Time for themselves, discovering it in a format that is more accessible even to those who play games every day. A must-play – or must-replay – without a doubt.

Three features to help you navigate the world of entertainment and pop culture, filled with major new releases and big comebacks, timeless icons and innovative storylines. DECODER is here to try and decode the present, including through its new popular myths, piecing together, week after week, feature after feature, a comprehensive map that charts, more than ever before, the infinite nuances and directions of our present. Join us next week for another trio of unmissable titles.