Ho-Cheung Pang directs this amazing drama with Chapman To and Isabella Leong, who provide the best performances of their careers. Their relationship starts off typical, then veers into a completely different direction with the assistance of a sharply intelligent structure and screenplay. Pang’s exceptional directorial skills are evident here because he is somehow able to transform the most trivial events into charming scenarios. The captured images of Macau are wonderful and the score is soothing. This is a work of art.

I do find it incomprehensible that reviewer STSH claims Isabella to be "indulgent", "the lead characters are so unsympathetic", and "a low attempt to remake Days of Being Wild." I must respectfully disagree. In fact, Isabella is so completely opposite of everything this reviewer has asserted that it befuddles me how someone could watch this film and come to those conclusions. Isabella reminded me of Yasujiro Ozu's films that were able to transform everyday events into quaint, highly entertaining experiences. This isn't art-house garbage you'd find in a Tsai Ming-liang film. For those who can appreciate well-crafted, character-driven storyline, this is truly amazing cinema at its finest.

That said, STSH gave Ashes of Time a 10/10, which is quite possibly the most overindulgent, putrid attempt at drama I can remember witnessing, with characters so unsympathetic and one-dimensional that watching the entire movie should be considered a new form of torture. So readers may want to take that negative review with a grain of salt.