Driving Turns and Forget Me Not

[davetheanalyzer]

I’m getting better with driving. My mentor and I are adapting to each other and I was able to talk about how some of her nerves bled to me. I still need to improve with turns but I think I’m getting better, knowing how much to turn the wheel to get it mostly right. I try to explain at times why I think I screw up but she can think they’re excuses. Don’t know if that’s true but I hope I can continue to improve communicating with her. I still need to learn to not drift while driving. Unfortunately, she got sick so after Tuesday, she likely won’t come for the rest of the week, so I watch an hour and a half of driving tutorials each day she’s not here.

I saw Forgotten Island last Friday on its opening day. I was going to see it yesterday but its earliest time would have overlapped with a therapy appointment. I heard it was made by the creatives behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish which I didn’t see because I didn’t see the first Puss in Boots film but heard was well-regarded. Well, Forgotten Island was good, though admittedly I found it hard to connect to. Don’t know if it was the time of day or a different culture (This case the Philippines) but that’s fine, since not everything needs to be relatable to you. Raissa doesn’t look it but she loves getting involved in her childhood friend Jo’s pranks. Jo’s creative and chaotic, and doesn’t seem content with coloring within the lines. Her being broken up her best friend moving to America for college was understandable, especially with losing her grandmother and her father abandoning her. Raissa’s family are wary of her friend, since she gets their daughter into trouble. Jo and Raissa have believed in Nakali Island despite it being seen as a myth until Jo’s desire not to separate from Raissa lead to a sand dollar appearing to herald a portal opening. Jo urges Raissa to jump despite the latter’s reluctance. The memory loss offers interesting contrasts to how the pair initially interacted with the inhabitants.

Raissa was initially full of wonder and excitement while after her amnesia she’s frustrated and wants to go home. Jo isn’t as extreme, wanting to help her friend but being distracted by enjoying the island again. Raww seems to want to be cool while connect with others having fun. He seems snappy when Bangi and Mermahn join, vying for attention with the girls. No wonder he and Jo hit it off. He and the other inhabitants serve as foils to Jo, with Bangi being clingy and Mermahn bending the truth. What sets the pair apart from previous human Nakali Island visitors is they have foreknowledge and are joyful and accepting of the strange beings they come across. They’re even thrilled to steal the legendary Manananggal’s wings, though learn she’s hostile real quick. This leads to loyalty from Raww and Baliba, who turn out to be using humans so Baliba could collect memories. Raww and Baliba didn’t connect with the other humans, who understandably just wanted to hurry home. Baliba even gets swayed by the 2 to undo the wipe of their memories, wanting experiences for herself and not understanding how important memories are to others. Raissa understandably feels betrayed when it’s found Jo left behind the sand dollar so they could stay. Jo feels she has nothing to come back for – she pushed Raissa into amazing experiences but that combined with fear of being alone could turn manipulative.

Jo wanted to stay with her friend but she didn’t want to hurt her, so feeling awful, she decides to stay in Nakali at the sacrifice of her friendship memories. Raissa was angry to the point of considering cutting off contact but she didn’t want this. Her crying while sent back to Earth was good. The memories each bracelet charm represented ties nicely with the themes when Raissa uses them to return to Nakali. Raissa realizes Jo’s father abandoned her, leading to her really valuing their friendship. Baliba finally realizes the damage she’s doing by taking what made someone themselves. The others fighting Manananggal was good showing their growth, with Bangi learning to stand for others and Mermahn mending his lying ways to help. Raww has a similar arc to Jo realizing he was hurting others but still wanting to connect and help, leading to him controlling his feral form. Baliba returning Manananggal’s memories was great, Baliba being moved by Jo and Raissa to make up for her actions. Those 2 were given too many sympathetic clues to not reform. Manananggal’s rampage was due to losing a part of herself and once she regained it, she was more peaceful. Jo telling Baliba to make her own memories was good, to the point of giving her prized shoes to encourage her. I wonder if Baliba will try to return the other memories she took. Jo and Raissa’s friendship isn’t the same but they remain in contact and meet when they can. Jo even becomes a graphic novelist based on their experiences, though should have asked her friend before putting a character inspired by her into a love triangle. At least they can go back to Nakali for fun as adults, which could have potential for sequels. There’s vomit and naughty humor but with that in mind, I recommend this film to those interested especially since it’s struggling at the box office.

That’s all for now. Free Palestine and all those in Israel’s torture prisons. May Trump and his ilk fail and be charged for their crimes. Until the eve of Halloween, see you!