Forgotten Island
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How does Forgotten Island combine Filipino folklore with friendship and memory?
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I
laughed.
I cried within three minutes. I bet we all did. That's right. And sometimes I come to this place for magic, and that magic is the Forgotten Island.
Forgotten Island may be full of mythological creatures and fantastical settings, but it's rooted in friendship and memory. It's a busy and colorful animated feature from a team that helped bring you Puss in Boots, The Last Wish, and Kung Fu Panda 2. I'm Steven Thompson. Joining me today on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour is former host of Slate's internet culture podcast, ICYMI, and former Pop Culture Happy Hour producer Ken. Candice Lim, hey Candace.
Hello.
Always great to have you back. Also, joining us is one of our producers here on Pop Culture Happy Hour, Liz Metzger. Hey Liz. Hi! Pleasure to see you both. So at the beginning of Forgotten Island, we meet childhood friends Joe and Risa. They're played by her and Liza Soberano, respectively. One is a free spirit, the other an aspiring scientist, and they're about to head off in drastically different directions. But during their last night, Together, they're sent through a portal to the island of Nikali, a place they'd heard about in legend.
Where?
Are we?
The collie! We did it! We made it, Lola!
There they meet a wide variety of tricksters, threats, friends and foes, all based on Filipino folklore. And along the way they face a serious dilemma, getting off of Nikali and back to their lives may mean surrendering memories of their friendship. The voice cast of Forgotten Island includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Joe Coy, and others, and it was written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado, who last brought us Puss and Boots, The Last Wish. It's in theaters now, Candace Lim, I'm gonna start with you.
What do reviewers think of Forgotten Island’s story and overall appeal?
What did you think of Forgotten Island?
Ugh, Forgotten Island, I love. I think, to me, it is a mix of the hangover. I see a little bit of turning red. You know, I've had a friend tell me it's a little bit of Moana to her, but I think it kind of makes sense where this film is coming from. Like you said, the co-directors, they are my dogs. Okay. They worked on Kung Fu Panda. Okay. These are my people. And I've also been seeing some reviews about how this movie is very chaotic or hectic, but I actually think it works for a few reasons in life. Layers first, like from a very visual standpoint, yes, it is chaotic. It's a lot of colors, it's a lot of blue and purple hues, and there are a lot of characters, it's a lot of voices, it's a lot of music, a lot of great music as well.
Yeah. But I think considering who this movie is for, considering who is at my screening, which is a lot of under 14 kids, I think that it kind of sparked that same joy within me. It's As in I Laughed, I cried. Ride within three minutes. I bet we all did. That's right. And sometimes I come to this place for magic, and that magic is the Forgotten Island.
Okay.
How
about
you,
Liz? I found this film very, very, very charming. Candace is giving it like big two big thumbs up, and I'm giving like one really big thumbs up because I think it is so Frestic. There is a lot of things that I felt I was like, oop, that's for me, or oop, that's for me, a teita of three tiny, very wacky little nieces. So there was a lot that really was getting me.
How do the film’s colorful animation and fast-paced style shape the experience?
But I think the thing that I was really impressed with is just how gorgeous this film is. I think it is I think the style for DreamWorks animation has really come such a long way. Not that they haven't always been beautiful, but I think this feels so different from even the last film that I saw from them, which was The Wild Robot, which is absolutely gorgeous, but this feels still so different.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How does Forgotten Island combine Filipino folklore with friendship and memory?
0:00–2:27
2
What do reviewers think of Forgotten Island’s story and overall appeal?
2:27–3:59
3
How do the film’s colorful animation and fast-paced style shape the experience?
3:59–6:20
4
How does Forgotten Island explore childhood friendship, memory, and Filipino culture?
6:20–9:56
5
Why does Forgotten Island use frenetic pacing, anime-inspired visuals, and music?
9:56–12:14
6
How do the film’s 1990s setting and nostalgic songs appeal to parents?
12:14–13:10
7
Could Forgotten Island find a bigger audience through streaming and repeat viewing?
13:10–14:33
8
Which voice actors make Forgotten Island’s characters memorable?
14:33–17:08