NOOB FILM REVIEW - TIGER STRIPES directed by Amanda Nell Eu

SYNOPSIS (IMDB)
An 11-year-old girl who is carefree until she starts to experience horrifying physical changes to her body.

REVIEW
The film is all about what the synopsis is saying. It is of a simple story. Yet told in a great way. It turns a simple premise of the menstruation phase of a young girl into a dark satire and dramatizes them in a way of magical realism.

Magical realism is defined as a work of fiction where fantasy slips into everyday life. In this film, the phases experienced by Zaffan are portrayed with colors and spectacle which adds magic to a normal kampung society. The spectacle here isn't hollow though. It is to draw the audience deeper to discover the substance and what the whole show is actually about.

Dysfunctional teachers and parents. Unsupportive friends. Barren schoolyards. Toilets. Lots of toilet shots.

It is about what the current generation of Malay Muslims is going through as a result of a failed education system that is not taking them anywhere out of the jungle.

Sounds of crickets. Scenes of thick jungle where Zaffan feels at home.

And society has no way of solving this other than pointing the fingers straight at Zaffan. Her menstruation phase is a symbol of growing up and rebellion against the failed system. That has been demonized by the villagers including the teachers (who are supposed to be educated, yet they're also the product of the failed education system. Like the famous saying-lah, crab teach their youngs to walk straight.)

Scenes in toilets. The latest Matrix Resurrection had Neo and the new Morpheus talking about their mission in the toilet. I recently watched Seman by Mansor Puteh and two characters talking about changes in the government in the toilet. Not long ago, after a screening of a local film, I bumped into a local actor and we talked about changes in the local film industry and he, too, understood that doing it in the toilet is negative. (whoops. what is the current govt doing about the education system? toilets! ha!)

In Tiger Stripes, the students are being themselves when they're in the toilet. Teachers collapsed in it and the hysteria started there too. This mess has reached a hysterical level and it is contagious!

Show. Don't tell. Do not do what Mentega Terbang did. (Oh there are shots of butterfly stickers in the toilets too. And of the kids being gentle with caterpillars. It is all in the semiotics-lah!)

And what else to be blamed when things got so bad other than the supernatural eh? A great parody of the fakery and profiteering of religion. And what do the rest of the villagers do? Record and upload-lah. Jangan lupa like and share!

One has to look into the subjective point of view of Zaffan. A close-up of her face is shown in anger. The current generation needs attention and not to be left alone. The new PM was recently seen canceling out a question from a young Indian student when she was asking about possible changes in the quota system into a merit-based system. Like Zaffan, a natural phase of change is being demonized by the system.

And how this film has also been demonized locally with only one cinema showing it nationwide. (Sokong lah filem tempatan pfffftttt) yet won in Cannes and is already on the road to Oscar (oh the irony).

The symbolism of the tiger represents Malaysia as the Tiger of Asia back then. But now it's lost and just seen walking alone in a TikTok viral video. Like in the film Crazy Rich Asian, the sarcastic remark by the main character about the stuffed 'Harimau' standing still in the main gallery. The symbol is more protected than the subject of it, which is the real tiger. Cough idol worshipping cough.

And that famous Confucius saying, “If your plan is for 1 year, plant rice. If your plan is for 100 years, educate the children.” If your plan is to rob the land and people of their riches, don’t educate the children (by standing on the quota system), and don't plant trees (in fact, do cut down more).

It is interesting what Amir Muhammad pointed out about 'Kenan' where (I am paraphrasing) Zaffan's father hunted and killed tigers back and now the curse of the tiger will become on his kid, which is Zaffan. Like how the curse of the bad education system has been inherited.

Putri Purnama Sugua has been doing it with Aku Mau Skola and Rumah Ndak Bertanah. And D-Ni-OK with Alice!

A similar subjective point of view is coming to Malaysian cinema this 30th November. Similar magical realism of everyday life of the Malaysian young generation. Watch out for MagiK by the Tanakas!

Gone are the days when teachers were highly looked upon. We need the return of the Cikgu Limau Kasturi. The Tiger of Asia has lost its stripes and seems like it is not coming back anytime soon.

(Oh, the horror. And the timing for this one for Halloween. Except the country has been in it since forever! Like, listen to your representatives speak in the Dewan Rakyat!)