The Raid: Redemption Movie Review

The poster for 2011’s The Raid: Redemption, originally Serbuan Maut or “The Deadly Raid” in bahasa Indonesia, is dominated by a dilapidated building looming over a single figure. The tagline is breathless in its brevity: “1 Ruthless Crime Lord. 20 Elite Cops. 30 Floors of Chaos.” The Raid: Redemption, directed by Welsh expatriate Gareth Huw…

Confessions of a “Secret Bule”

It often starts with a changed expression. Furrowed eyebrows. An uncertain smile. Blinking. The person, usually a cashier or a waiter, has just realized something is off about me. Why is this Indonesian-looking person seeking assistance? they wonder. Why is she mumbling only a word or two at a time? Why does she only smile at polite enquiries? What…