DreamWorks Forgotten Island: When All Is Not Lost

Forgotten Island may not be fully amazing, but to offer a tale about two lost souls, one found and another feeling wreched is key to how this tale got formed.

Forgotten IslandIt seems that when DreamWorks releases an original work, not everyone is excited about it. Personally, I’ve been eager to see something that isn’t an adaptation of a children’s book or YA novel, and Forgotten Island fills that gap perfectly! What’s presented is a mishmash of Filipino folklore woven into a tale crafted for the same demographic to watch rather than enjoy on paper.

Here, Raissa Molina (Liza Soberano) and Jo Yuson (Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson) are two kids who meet under the most auspicious of circumstances and quickly become best friends. Years later, as high school graduation looms, Raissa’s parents announce she’s going to Caltech to study, and Jo fears being left behind. What they discover during their “last days” together sends them on a fantasy trip to Wonderland!

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With The 8 Immortals Present, All Wishes Come True, Whether They’re Ready or Not for the Punchline

Although the tales of the 8 Immortals are part of the narrative in works like “The Journey to the East” and “Yellow-Millet Dream,” to give them their own animated special in All Wishes Come True gives newcomers a glimpse at what they’re capable of, and it’s a great adventure to boot too!

All Wishes Come True Movie PosterSpoiler Alert

I find Cineplex Movies‘ lack of faith disturbing. When All Wishes Come True! (八仙; lit. translation: The 8 Immortals) isn’t getting an even distribution across North America, and the chain may not be confident it can draw regular crowds in Canada. I can’t say I blame them. Nor can I speak to how the film is performing in other parts of the world. Usually, unless a Chinese production has a big name like Jackie Chan that audiences recognize, crowds aren’t guaranteed to flock to it. For writer/director Zhengyang Mu, a relative unknown, perhaps the film needs new posters that read, “From the studio that brought you Kung Fu Panda 3 and Abominable…”

That might help folks who are unsure about the film decide to see it. A few moments echo Pearl Studio‘s previous work and DreamWorks‘ design philosophy, making this movie an easier sell. The humour is evident, and everyone understands the Ocean’s Eleven reference. Who doesn’t want to see that? There’s also the promise of an animated action-adventure about the Eight Immortals, technically soon-to-be immortals, who must prove their worth as new heroes while the current ruling dynasty sorts itself out. This introduction establishes how they rose through the ranks and challenged the norm.

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The Latest Ne Zha 3 News. Is This Movie Coming in 2028 or 2030?

After scouring various Chinese website for the latest, the latest Ne Zha 3 news are as follows. Simply we, put, we have to be patient.

Ne Zha News; Ne Zha 3 Poster
(Artwork not final)

Neither year is official. The latest Ne Zha 3 news is certainly telling, and we’ll have to be patient. When Ne Zha 2 (movie review) smashed many box office records and left viewers with that doozy of a cliffhanger regarding Monk Wuliang’s fate and meeting with others of his sect, just what’s going to happen next won’t be inspired by any of the classical books of Chinese Literature! What’s presented is wild, and the wait will be long so creator Yang Yu (professionally known as Jiaozi) can craft a story that’s meaningful and action packed.

On Ne Zha 3’s Douban page, the potential year of release changed from 2028 to 2030 in February 2025. It was subsequently changed back to 2028. Since the Chinese answer ot the INDB can contain provisional information, neither alteration represented an announcement from the production company.

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I Am What I Am 2, Does Changing The Title To The Kung Fu Kid Hit Harder When ‘A’ Isn’t Used?

Well Go USA’s The Kung Fu Kid is actually I Am What I Am 2 (雄狮少年2), although neither the original title nor its status as a sequel is acknowledged. The film works as a standalone, but is altogether more powerful when Liu Jiajuan’s earlier life in the village is taken into account.

The Kung Fu Kid (I Am What I Am 2)Well Go USA
Now Streaming on Digital
Coming to Home Video on Sept 15

Fans of the Chinese animated film I Am What I Am (雄狮少年) may well be confused by the executive decision to release the second film in North America as The Kung Fu Kid. My theory is that some board of distributors believes a new and familiar-sounding title will draw in viewers who don’t know the franchise. As a standalone movie, it works, and newcomers may never realise they’re watching a sequel. But without knowledge of the first film, some of Liu “Gyun” Jiajuan’s motivations and character development are going to be lost.

That’s particularly noticeable because I Am What I Am 2 directly continues his story. The first film doesn’t magically solve this lad’s problems after the lion-dance competition. He still has to face reality, and that leads him to Shanghai, where earning money to help pay for his father’s medical treatment becomes one of his primary concerns. Strangely, according to China Daily, his name has become Ajuan, which can lead to momentary confusion.

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In Toy Story 5, How Many Friends Are Needed?

Pixar shifts the spotlight to Jessie in Toy Story 5, delivering a heartfelt story about growing up, moving on, and finding human connection in an increasingly digital world.

Toy Story 5 Soundtrack CoverAnyone who grew up watching Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) won’t find them at the centre of the action. In Toy Story 5, the focus shifts to Jessie (Joan Cusack) as the new “Justice of the Peace,” and as for the others, they’ve been busy. While the cowboy is spending his best days with Little Bo-Peep (Annie Potts) to rescue abandoned toys, Buzz has an eye on the cowgirl, an idea first introduced in the second film. The allusions are there, and choosing not to rush that relationship is a smart move.

But do we really need more tales? I’d say yes. After 31 long years, most fans have either moved on or are waiting to see what PIXAR does next.

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Another World at the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival. A Chinese Reimagining of a Japanese Novel.

Although the number of animated releases from Hong Kong are few and far between, just what’s offered in Another World are insightful looks at the human character, and this film is no exception.

Another World Movie PosterAMC Atlantic Times Square 14
May 3, 2026, 6:00 pm (buy tickets here)
* Mild Spoiler Alert

Although Tommy Ng’s animated adaptation of Naka Saijō’s novel Thousand Year Ghost differs from its source, that’s likely because the original’s intent is hard to comprehend cleanly. It’s possible this work is more like a huge anthology than a focussed tale about one individual. Another World is more digestible. At its core, we follow Gudo (Suet-Ying Chung), a child-like supernatural being searching for the meaning of life. As one of many soulkeepers guiding spirits toward reincarnation, he understands that not all will pass on. Those weighed down by guilt or resentment risk becoming “Wraths,” not ghosts in the traditional sense, but manifestations of unresolved emotion taken to their extreme.

These beings linger in the living world, causing harm. Stopping them isn’t Gudo’s role; others handle that. What stands out is how observational the movie feels. There’s no grand rebellion against cosmic order, just quiet witnessing. This lad’s presence adds to that unease. The mask he wears, or what may simply be his face, seems to act like a chamber, giving his voice a different resonance. We hear him as though he’s speaking from an empty room. The sound design brilliantly reinforces that he’s not from our world, but another one, which perfectly suits the film’s title.

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