33 Postcards

I hadn't heard of 33 Postcards and stumbled upon it online, there was no good reason to watch it, but I did and I'm so glad I did. It isn't the usual blockbuster drama, but weaves emotion like no other.

I'm (for lack of a better word) gob smacked! The film's and the performances' simplicity and earnestness blew me away. It created the magic of an international film with the determined oriental passion. I owe thanks to Pauline Chan, Philip Dalkin and Martin Edmond for wiping the blues away from my evening. And very specially to Guy Pearce, who acted with so much care for the story!

You take away a lot of food for thought, in terms of changing priorities, innocence and holding your ground. I've just watched an amazing movie and that it moved me so much that I cared to register on IMDb to write a review for it, says a lot to the movie's credit.

Do watch it, you will not regret it.

It is incredible how hard it is to write a good story and yet this film takes the simple premise of an orphaned Chinese girl sponsored into schooling by a benefactor she has never met except via postcards and letters and turns it into an achingly good two hours of entertainment.

Mei Mei, Little Sister (Zhu Lin), is a sixteen year old whose life in a Chinese Orphanage has been supported by regular payments made by Dean Randall (Guy Pearce). Mei Mei is training to be the conductor of a children's choir who are to tour in Australia which is where the bulk of this film takes place.

The plot and screenplay are developed with such simple brushstrokes you know there is a masterpiece being painted before our eyes. And this film doesn't let you down through all its wonderful and deft touches. Even the violent scenes are made to fit the delicate canvass the whole is painted upon, and we are never driven to the need for explicit artistic license.

The soundtrack too is so finely tuned to the images, with some breathtaking choral singing at appropriate moments. The acting is strong, brilliant from Zhu Lin and Guy Pearce, and only occasionally overstated by the support. The script is just wonderful but then the message from this film is wonderful too.

Recommended viewing. Nine out of ten.

This film was beautifully conceived, and started well. The characters are deft, subtle, and well-played by the excellent cast.

Leading into the last act, though, the characters start behaving erratically, with no discernible motivation. Sadly, the movie overall fails to recover, and it ends up being a frustrating experience. A great deal of potential, squandered in an apparent attempt to generate conflict, which in the end feels unbelievable.

Worth a watch, if you like any of the actors in particular, as their performances are still quite good, even from newcomer Zhu Lin as the delightfully naive-yet-savvy Mei Mei ("Little Sister").

I give this film 10 out of 10, because I could not think of anything wrong with it. I am really a: blockbuster; action/sci-fi; anti-chickflick movie fan.

However when one has seen just about everything, one decides to watch the unseen movies available. This film being one of them.

The reviews on here helped me to get the guts to give it a go. I can tell you that this film truly is amazing. I will not say anything about it except, this is a masterpiece of the feel good movie genre.

From start to finish I was glued to it and the time seem to fly by while I was watching it. Most of the film is in English, but the Chinese dialogue was supported perfectly by subtitles, which were very easy to read.

This film is only for people with good in their heart. If that is you, it is a must see before you die film! :D

First,while the film is not-rated I would give it a rating of PG-13,because of some of the subject matter. The film does a beautiful job of demonstrating how people have a universal desire to be a part of a family.It's a sweet story how two people who are separated by thousands of miles can still effect one another greatly.Redemption,purpose, and life's ongoing search to love and be loved are strong themes throughout the film.While I did enjoy the movie,I would have liked to have seen the film-makers give more attention to the earliest years in the orphanage and the hardships Mei Mei had to endure. Overall,you'll come away from watching 33 Postcards feeling happy.