Watch The Year of the Yao For Free

good back-story, and good acting

Don't Believe the Hype

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Year of the Yao (2004): Dir: James D. Stern / Featuring: Yao Ming, Colin Pine, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Frank Deford: Year of humility. Year of perseverance. Year of the underdog. This tremendous documentary tells of a seven foot five Chinese male who is picked to perfect his basketball skills for the NBA. Yao Ming hits fame fast during the 2002 / 2003 season but his attitude is always out of love for the sport itself. Colin Pine is his interpreter who assists Yao not only with basketball terminology but also with the lifestyles of Americans. We learn of the encouragement of his coach who eventually announces his leave due to a cancer threat. Yao starts out rusty but with team support and spirit he is soon facing the famed Shaquille O'Neal on the court. It might have been great had viewers received the opportunity to see these two celebrated athletes face off on the court. This is a must-see for sports film lovers who will no doubt be impressed with this seven foot plus tall athlete and Hall of Famer. Director James D. Stern counters the repetitious structure with light humour as Yao struggles to adapt with great humility. Teammates, announcers and friends from his homeland voice their impression and enthusiasm over his success. It showcases hard work that pays off big time not just in success but also rewarding respect from peers and fans. Score: 9 / 10

Year of the Yao was a spectacular movie. While most fans who have follow Yao's path from China to America would not learn much new information, the way the film captured the intensity of the time was magnificent. All that pressure that Yao was facing at the time became so tangible when watching the movie - seeing Yao carry the dreams of an entire nation as he came into the NBA. All in all, the movie was very inspirational. The numerous hardships Yao had to endure, from the expectations of his homeland to his first few extraordinary clumsy games to the match up with the "Shaq" instills us a sense of possibility, of how people can rise to any challenges and win.

I found the movie quite entertaining, and also informative. Funny, but entertaining. Cleverly done, and well-written. Too bad this film focused only on Yao Ming's rookie season and not his other succeeding seasons. And because it focused on his freshman year only, it kind of gave the film an 'old' feel, not exactly up-to-date. After all, we're in 2005, and Yao entered the NBA in 2002. Still, I'd have to say this documentary was one heck of a ride. I also liked the way the guys behind the making of this film, gave it a really personal touch, not just portraying Yao as the basketball player, but also portraying Yao as a person. But my favorite part of the movie was when Charles Barkley had to 'kiss' some donkey's posterior live on TV, as part of the bet he had against fellow TV commentator Kenny Smith that Yao could never score even 19 points in a single game. As an NBA fan, naturally I would tend to like the movie. But I liked the movie, period. Coz it's fun. Really nice.

I thought that overall this was a great movie. And that's coming from a guy who doesn't know much of anything when it comes to basketball. Both people who know basketball and those who don't will enjoy this film. It's not only about basketball, in fact, not very much so but more about the life and the transition from China to the US for Yao Ming. It's a great story and the way the story was told makes it much more exciting than your average documentary. You're really able to get into the movie and get a glimpse of what Yao' life was like for him in his first year in the NBA. Again, this is a great movie that's not only intended for basketball fans but anyone really.