6 Movies Like ‘Forgotten Island’
There's so much to appreciate about the wholesome and endearing message that DreamWorks' Forgotten Island (2026) sends out. Gorgeously animated and thoughtfully penned, it's the kind of movie that'll leave a mark on anyone, especially girls in the same age group as Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (voiced by Liza Soberano). There's so much to love about it, like the loyalty between the best friends, the fact that they're giant nerds, the found family portion, and the detail that it's a love letter to girlhood in a different way, like Turning Red (2022) also is.
Whatever you take away from a movie like Forgotten Island, there are some great movies to rewatch afterward to get some similar vibes. Available to stream on platforms like Prime Video, Disney+, and more, here are some of the best movies to watch if you liked Forgotten Island.
Jumanji is actually a comparison made by co-creator Joel Crawford in an exclusive interview with JustWatch. He calls it a "fun adventure" and believes Forgotten Island lives up to that idea as well. It's true, but at the same time, I'd also add that Jumanji has an epic element to it at this point that also contributes to nostalgia, like the beliefs the characters in Forgotten Island hold about Nakali. It's the awareness of a specific place before you even get to it.
With the changes that Jo and Raissa go through, nostalgia is a strong element in the film, so the idea of one last epic adventure perfectly sums up exactly what you'd want to experience with your best friend before they go off for college. And it’s not just Jumanji that’s good, but even some of its sequels live up to the hype as well.
Co-creator Januel Mercado, in the same interview with JustWatch, gives us another deep cut of a suggestion with Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Interestingly, Spirited Away also contributes to some of the spooky elements we get in Forgotten Island with Lea Salonga's Manang. Chihiro's journey somewhat mirrors the one the girls go on in Forgotten Island, but more than anything, it's an achingly haunting story about memories and hard work.
I was a bit too young when I first watched Spirited Away, so some elements scared me back then, but now it's perfectly fine for anyone who's a scaredy-cat. Still, if there are kids in your life that might not love spooky things, perhaps hold off on Spirited Away until they're a bit older. But it's an undeniable must-watch at least once in the same way that every other feature from Hayao Miyazaki is. There's no animator quite like the Japanese artist, and his work remains indescribable.
Unfortunately, Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon premiered during the COVID-19 pandemic, so not too many people know of its existence; even so, to this day, it's one of the most underrated newer features for the streamer. While Raya and the Last Dragon leans more into the fantasy portion and taps into bits of lore with its premise, it can still be a gorgeous adventure for girls who want to see themselves in epic adventures.
Part of what stands out with Forgotten Island is the detail that girls get to be the main characters, giving them different personalities that shine while they each have a role in saving the day. The same can be said about a movie like Raya and the Last Dragon which delivers a wholesome and incredible treat throughout. The animation is just as stunning, and the voice acting is a phenomenal addition, too.
One of the biggest things in Forgotten Island that stood out to me is Jo and Raissa's grief after losing Jo's Lola. Because of the profound loss, so much of the quest and everything they uncover in Nakali is because of all that Lola's taught them, allowing her spirit to be an integral part of the story, even when she isn't in the frame. With those themes in mind, another story that brilliantly and poignantly captures grief and the power of our memories is Pixar's inimitable Coco.
As another movie that also gorgeously explores customs from another culture, Coco shines in how it honors the traditions centered around Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Through a complex and brilliantly penned story about memories, second chances, and commemorating those who've passed, Coco explores a kid stepping through another world and uncovering all that he needs at the exact point in time he needs it the most. There's nothing like it, and tissues are mandatory.
As far as the significance of memories goes, and how we hold onto the pieces of our past that are both good and bad, Pixar's Inside Out does the best job of exploring the nuances through a thoughtful movie that leaves a deep mark. The fact that it also centers around a girl's mind, and we later see the extension of Riley's growth in Inside Out 2 (2024), is no small feat.
There's so much to appreciate and deconstruct about how Inside Out explores human emotions and the importance of each of them to a human being. With incredible voice acting—and top-tier casting in Amy Poehler as Joy that I'll never get over—Inside Out is a must-watch for every type of viewer.
As another recommendation that Joel Crawford provided in our JustWatch interview, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is essentially the adult version of an exploration of memories. While Forgotten Island explores the layers and nuances through an adventure that's palpable for kids and adults, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a mind-blowing, thoughtfully penned movie that does a stunning job of delivering complex emotions with plenty of depth and care.
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are brilliant throughout, with each of them delivering some of the most haunting performances you'll ever watch in a film. It's heartbreaking, raw, and certainly not as wholesome as Forgotten Island, but the raw truths we uncover about relationships make it a tremendous feat in how it delivers a thought-provoking story about the ways we connect to others and how our memories play a crucial role in the depth of said connection.
