THOUGHTS | THE FORGOTTEN ISLAND TRAILER
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
I just saw the Forgotten Island trailer, and while I haven’t really been a fan of American animation for some time now—aside from the Spider-Man movies—this one looks promising. And yeah, it’s about my people, so I have to check it out when it comes out. But checking it out means watching it with my kid.
The thing about kids today is that they’re so invested in Roblox, Minecraft, and other online games that they seem to forget about the simpler times. I wasn’t exactly the type who always went outside to play with the neighborhood kids, but I still remember collecting balloon plants and picking those weeds with sticky seeds so I could throw them at my playmates. I also remember my mom getting mad at me for destroying her pampalo ng labada because I needed a bat for baseball.
Yes, I rarely left the house, but I still had plenty of experiences that forced me to go back inside because I had a severe case of asthma back then. My kid has had similar moments, but they’re not as invested in those kinds of experiences because of all the brain rot they were exposed to from the pandemic years up to now. So having a Filipino-themed animation with a promising storyline feels like a good way to introduce him to the full Filipino experience.
That’s another thing about kids these days—they’re not as “Pinoy” as we once were. And there’s also the fact that this film presents our history and culture through the lens of Filipino Americans with genuine Pinoy pride. I get that the use of “Who Let the Dogs Out” in the trailer was probably meant as a breathing or comedic beat. Still, I can’t really say that the song ever caught on in the Philippines the way tracks like “How Gee,” “Boom Shakalak,” “Ekstasi-Ekstano,” or even “Macarena” did. Maybe it was a bigger deal for Filipino audiences abroad, but here, songs like MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” or Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” were more accurate stress calmers and crowd favorites. Still, that’s just a minor gripe—at least they made this film.
The story follows two best friends who are about to be separated when one of them migrates to the United States. They end up near a shore where they discover a portal to a mystical island. If they don’t make it back in time, they’ll begin to forget everything—including their friendship. That’s the central hook of the story.
Also, why does that kid have a balisong?
What kind of monster parent gives a kid that young a butterfly knife?!?
Seeing all the little cultural references in the trailer, like how accurate stickers are in the jeepney, and how there are jumpers in the electricity posts, the first thing I did afterward was watch Kirby Araullo’s reaction. I’ve been a fan of his work ever since he made that piece about the possible first circumnavigator of the world—not Sebastian del Cano, but Enrique, the enslaved man who may have completed the journey simply by returning to his homeland.
I also find it interesting—sometimes frustrating—how the Americans pushed their “Manifest Destiny” mindset on us during their occupation.
Anyway, Araullo breaks down the film’s details with the same level of care that the New Rockstars YouTube channel uses when dissecting every detail in a new Marvel release.
And if I’m going to watch this film with my kid, I want to catch all the important Filipino references so I can explain them properly—maybe even sound a bit intellectual while teaching him about them.
Comments