Hellen
I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
Cleveronix
A different way of telling a story
Ogosmith
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
Hayleigh Joseph
This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.
Python Hyena
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
dreaminspira
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.
tnrcooper
I saw this movie was produced by the NBA and thought it would be some typically slick merchandising PR, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's not overly thoughtful, but given the fact that it's done by the NBA, it offers a fairly insightful look into the life of Yao Ming and to a great degree his translator, Colin Pine. It tracks them and we get a good look at Yao's dry humor which has revealed itself over his stellar five plus years in the league. We see the crucial role which Pine plays in Yao's first year, perhaps more in helping Yao familiarize himself more culturally with the country. Yao seems to understand a fair amount of English from early on (those of us hoops fans remember his ability to understand spoken questions from reporters) even if he is less confident answering in English (as I can attest is a common occurrence from having taught English in a foreign country) but the cultural adaptations are more pronounced and Pine seems to be a great help to Yao, simply in offering moral support, and quite simply, a friend to a man in a new country. Yao is endlessly patient and puts up with all kinds of celebrity and fawning attention. The people in the basketball organization for which Yao works come across very well, understanding, before the media and many fans did, that Yao could really play. They are very supportive and generous and do what they can to make the big man feel at home. Watching basketball as much as I do, I remember this comradery and watching Yao, realizing that for such a big man, he had a very sensitive touch around the basket and very soft hands which would serve him well in the NBA. That said, you don't need to know a thing about basketball or Yao Ming in order to enjoy this film. It's essentially the story of a man adapting to some serious culture shock, in the midst of about the brightest klieg light imaginable from the media, and doing it about as gracefully as possible.
Scott Loeppky
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.