Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids.
Finally, kids have their own version of "The Hangover" to watch, with some ride-or-die best friends, a colorful Wild Pack and an eye-opening quest.
Starring H.E.R. and Liza Soberano, the 1990s-set fantasy animated adventure "Forgotten Island" (in theaters Sept. 25) takes audiences young and old to a mythical landscape that revolves around monsters and memories. It also boasts a perspective often not seen in cartoon flicks: two teenage best friends on the cusp of adulthood and transitioning to a new phase in life.
Even with a fun-loving weredog and other interesting creatures running
around, is "Forgotten Island" appropriate for young children? Here's what parents need to know going in:
What is 'Forgotten Island' about?
Filipino teens Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) have been friends since grade school, bonded by multiple viewings of "Predator" and many karaoke rounds of "Don't Stop Believin'." After graduation, with Raissa heading off to America to attend Caltech, they have one last night together. If only they could remember what happened after they fell through a magical portal and woke up on a mythical island called Nakali (short for Nakalimutan) where people are known to lose their memories.
Jo and Raissa meet a bunch of new friends, including new weredog pal Raww (Dave Franco), who tries to fill in some blanks about their wild times together (thus, why they're the Wild Pack). The youngsters also race to find the artifact that will get them home while also being hunted by a creature known as the Dreaded Manananggal (Lea Salonga).
Who is in the cast of 'Forgotten Island'?
H.E.R, aka Gabi Wilson, is a Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician who played herself in the Netflix comedy "Yes Day" and also appeared in "The Color Purple." Her costar Liza Soberano is an extremely popular actress in the Philippines with more than 17 million Instagram followers.
The supporting cast includes Dave Franco and Lea Salonga, a Broadway star well known for her singing roles in the original animated "Aladdin" and "Mulan," as well as Manny Jacinto (who plays 8-foot-tall demon baby Bungi Tiyanak), Jenny Slate (as tree-dwelling demon Batiba) and comedian Jo Koy (as tree giant Datu).
What is 'Forgotten Island' rated?
The animated movie is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association "for animated sequences of scary action, language, rude humor, thematic elements, some violence and brief tobacco imagery." There are quite a few fast-paced anime-style action sequences, especially with Jo and Raissa trying to escape the clutches of the Manananggal, who's rather fearsome with her freaky look and dangerous wings. (Raissa doesn't initially remember but she actually stole a set of the Manananggal's wings, so that's why the antagonist isn't overly happy with our heroines.)
As far as the humor and language go, it's not too offensive – there's some pyroflatulence, plus the use of "flipping" instead of that other f-word.
What is a Manananggal?
The Manananggal, or Manang as she's known in the movie, is taken from Filipino mythology: It's a vampiric figure with wings and fangs that can detach its torso from the lower half of its body. (The name comes from the Tagalog word "tanggal," which means to separate or remove.)
There's quite a bit in the movie inspired by Filipino folklore. The island of Nakalimutan, which Jo's grandmother told her stories about growing up, is filled with Aswang, which are the Philippines' own take on supernatural and shapeshifting creatures. The weredog Raww comes from a Filipino take on the werewolf, Batiba is based on the Batibat from Ilocano folklore, and Bungi is a version of another vampire-esque beast, the tiyanak.
Even Jo and Raissa's signature catchphrase is part of Filipino heritage: When one needs the other to do something, they say “Tayo na,” which is a Tagalog phrase that means “let’s go."
How accurate is the cultural representation?
Pretty good! Both of the main stars have parents of Filipino descent: Wilson's mom and Soberano's father. (Soberano was born in California and moved at age 10 to the Philippines, where she became a cultural icon.) In addition, Salonga, Jacinto and Dolly de Leon (who plays Jo's grandma Lola) were all born in Manila, and Salonga recently became the first Filipina to garner a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"Forgotten Island" is a personal tale for the two directors as well. Januel Mercado is Filipino American, and Joel Crawford's wife is Filipina.
Is 'Forgotten Island' too scary for little kids?
Children will likely be entertained by all the interesting creatures Jo and Raissa meet – Raww is sure to be a favorite in many households. However, those in the 4-to-7 age range might be spooked by Manang's weird body movements, terrifying look, villainous demeanor and overall sinister vibe. It's also kind of freaky when a demon who steals memories tries to do its thing on Jo and Raissa – the thought of something sucking your happiest memories from you is unnerving no matter what age you are, really.
But the movie overall does a good job exploring the fact that friends grow apart and that's OK, because keeping the memories of people we're close to means that they're never forgotten. That's a message key for youngsters as well as grown-ups.
When does 'Forgotten Island' come out?
"Forgotten Island" is in theaters nationwide Sept. 25. Those hoping to stream it at home will need to wait. If it follows the same track as similar DreamWorks family films, the movie will likely be available on demand in November and streaming on Peacock around Christmas or early January.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is 'Forgotten Island' OK for little kids? A parent's guide
