I liked the running diary format. It captures a lot of minute thoughts or events that otherwise will be forgotten or edited out during a formal overall review of the movie. This format is like the Bill Simmons March Madness Marathon diary he has over on ESPN.

As for my pantheon of “Memorable Hong Kong Movie Scenes”, I haven’t seen ISABELLA yet so I can’t rate the “Dream Companion” scene, but my list includes: the same scenes you mentioned for EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED and CHUNGKING EXPRESS, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang going after Patrick Tam Yiu-Man after getting drugged up in BEAST COPS, The shootout in the mall in THE MISSION, Jackie Chan driving down the hill of shacks in POLICE STORY, and the tour-de-force restaurant fight scene in FEARLESS.

Maybe it is because I lost my father (not that our relationship was anything like that in the film-but the scene in which they sit and drink together talking about stuff, and then she sings reminded me of sitting down together and talking with him way into the night)
I like the director’s previous works and think the direction he is going suits him well enough.

And I like Chapman To and think him a great actor (never had the Chapman overdose like the majority when he was in every film) and they had good chemistry with Isabella Leong.

I share your opinion on Isabella Leong as an actress. She did a great job and I think was well cast (I can’t imagine Fiona in that part - shudder)

Next I love the soundtrack - it was like someone from the cast, very well inserted and used. I still listen to it and feel like crying.

I maybe a lucky viewer since I don’t have to feel sympathy to any of the characters in order to like a film - neither of the characters are likeable but I find them interesting.

So I’m sorry that you never get to enjoy (or feel for) the film the way I did.

And here is another vote for [b]Where a Good Man Goes[/b] wonderful film with a great Lau Ching Wan and Ruby Wong performance and many small moments that are still with me. The Macau I visited was more like WAGMG than Isabella:)

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/iiblog/

What I remember most and liked best about Isabella was the moody, kinda murky Macau setting. I wonder if Edmond Pang had made Chapman To’s character a real slime bag if I’d have felt more emotional involvement with the characters. I liked the movie a lot but didn’t love it.

i liked isabella quite a bit but it reminded me of things I liked more.

and yes, isabella leong, just doesn’t quite 100 percent convince in the role though she is quite good.

her singing of the anita mui song was quite moving and scenes like that really stick in my mind — if i ever go to macau and hong kong, those are the things that are going to lead me there. or something.

right now, isabella is a pretty face with potential. shu qi and cecilia cheung have already proven that they are more than just pretty faces. isabella is on her way to proving that too.

Traditional characters are used here in Macau but because we have more tourists coming from Mainland now, more simplified characters are being used.

Hahahaha — 5 mentions of Tim Youngs in a single post! (Also, thanks for the recognition and link to my blog! :b)

Re ISABELLA: I had a similar emotionally disconnected reaction as you. Maybe it’s because we both sensed that Edmond Pang was trying too hard to impress with this film? At any rate, I still like the more freewheeling feeling YOU SHOOT, I SHOOT! best.

And yes, WHERE A GOOD MAN GOES is worth a re-watch, if not more. Perhaps it’s not saying much but that’s my favorite Ruby Wong film by a long chalk.