There have been so many documentaries about basketball in recent years—The Year Of The Yao (about Yao Ming), The Heart Of The Game (about a high-school girls basketball coach), Through The Fire (about Sebastian Telfair), and Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot (about a street basketball tournament), to name a few—that it takes something special for one to rise above the standards of, say, an Espn doc. Kristopher Belman’s More Than A Game seems to be in a position to manage that: An Akron native, Belman caught onto the LeBron James phenomenon early enough to have his camera ...
- 10/1/2009
- avclub.com
TORONTO -- Although the Toronto International Film Festival has begun to wind down, several deals were announced Thursday: Fine Line inked a pact to pick up world rights to the basketball documentary The Year of the Yao, a portrait of NBA player Yao Ming, and Palm Pictures took on Johnnie To's Breaking News. At press time, further theatrical pacts were in the process of being hammered out for the Real to Reel selection Three of Hearts, the Midnight Madness horror features Creep and Dead Birds and Susanne Bier's Danish import Brothers. In other dealings, attorney Andrew Hurwitz and the William Morris Independent unit wrapped up $3 million in international sales on the TIFF pick Saint Ralph. Meanwhile, all eyes turned to the high-profile feature The Libertine, which was slotted for a gala screening Thursday night. The film stars Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton and John Malkovich, and even while many top execs were heading out of town, Miramax Films honcho Harvey Weinstein was said to be landing in Toronto to screen Libertine. Besides checking out the film, Weinstein was likely on hand to support Depp, who plays the lead in Miramax's Oscar hopeful Finding Neverland.
- 9/17/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Although the Toronto International Film Festival has begun to wind down, several deals were announced Thursday: Fine Line inked a pact to pick up world rights to the basketball documentary The Year of the Yao, a portrait of NBA player Yao Ming, and Palm Pictures took on Johnnie To's Breaking News. At press time, further theatrical pacts were in the process of being hammered out for the Real to Reel selection Three of Hearts, the Midnight Madness horror features Creep and Dead Birds and Susanne Bier's Danish import Brothers. In other dealings, attorney Andrew Hurwitz and the William Morris Independent unit wrapped up $3 million in international sales on the TIFF pick Saint Ralph. Meanwhile, all eyes turned to the high-profile feature The Libertine, which was slotted for a gala screening Thursday night. The film stars Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton and John Malkovich, and even while many top execs were heading out of town, Miramax Films honcho Harvey Weinstein was said to be landing in Toronto to screen Libertine. Besides checking out the film, Weinstein was likely on hand to support Depp, who plays the lead in Miramax's Oscar hopeful Finding Neverland.
- 9/17/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Although the Toronto International Film Festival has begun to wind down, several deals were announced Thursday: Fine Line inked a pact to pick up world rights to the basketball documentary The Year of the Yao, a portrait of NBA player Yao Ming, and Palm Pictures took on Johnnie To's Breaking News. At press time, further theatrical pacts were in the process of being hammered out for the Real to Reel selection Three of Hearts, the Midnight Madness horror features Creep and Dead Birds and Susanne Bier's Danish import Brothers. In other dealings, attorney Andrew Hurwitz and the William Morris Independent unit wrapped up $3 million in international sales on the TIFF pick Saint Ralph. Meanwhile, all eyes turned to the high-profile feature The Libertine, which was slotted for a gala screening Thursday night. The film stars Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton and John Malkovich, and even while many top execs were heading out of town, Miramax Films honcho Harvey Weinstein was said to be landing in Toronto to screen Libertine. Besides checking out the film, Weinstein was likely on hand to support Depp, who plays the lead in Miramax's Oscar hopeful Finding Neverland.
- 9/17/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival
You don't have to be a hoops fan to know that Yao Ming is a 7'5 inch basketball sensation from China. He's already become a big star in North America, and carries the hopes and dreams of the entire Chinese population, as the dominating center of the Houston Rockets.
The Year Of The Yao tries to gives us a look at the man behind the gentle giant during his first season as a pro, with close access to him at home, on the road, in the locker room and trying out North American delicacies like Taco Bell. What emerges is that Yao is a fascinating individual with great humor and modesty, as well as the potential to be one of the greats.
Unfortunately, that's all we really find out about the guy. Sports fans might be satisfied with this kind of standard superficial athlete profile, but the film is not likely to have much range outside of the ESPN subscriber base. Given that the project was produced with NBA Entertainment, it's no surprise. The Year Of The Yao is essentially a fluff job, designed to build a myth around their new icon, while leaving more sensitive issues like race, politics and money sitting on the bench.
In fact, filmmakers James Stern (Michael Jordan To The Max) and Adam Del Deo leaves a lot of deeper territories unexplored and untouched. Packaged with inspirational music and some over-the-top narration, the doc includes snippet insights from people like Yahoo's Jerry Yang, Bill Clinton, the Chinese Ambassador to and teammates all of whom gush about Yao's importance to Asians, international sports and (gulp!) world peace. The film's introduction about the mystery and history of China and its glorious sports culture is also quite gagging.
But as far as real insight, The Year Of The Yao presents little more than anecdotal scenes of Yao acclimatizing to American culture and the demands of a American sports career, one pampered with luxuries beyond his meager beginning in Shanghai. The only real interesting character development is his relationship with Colin Pine, Yao's young fulltime translator who is just as much of a rookie in terms of adapting to the NBA. There's not much interaction with his parents, teammates or opponents. The film is like having an all-access pass and not exploiting it for even a backstage free soda.
The film is pretty much a glossied diary following draft day 2003 through to the end of Yao's first season. A typical sports narration carries most of the drama, while insignificant drama is built up for exaggerated effect. A flippant comment by loudmouth former player turned broadcaster Charles Barkley is played for all its empty controversy. Games against Los Angeles Lakers are promoted as personal showdowns between Shaq and Yao.
More interesting might be some insight from Yao on the bling-bling culture of the league? What does he think of the Western stereotypes about Chinese people? Has he read any coverage of way his home government is presented in American news? And what about the boatload of money he's now making? Forget it, The Year of The Yao is instead more interested in being there when Yao tries his first Taco Bell Grande. Take it for what it is, this is all about selling the NBA and marketing Yao Ming.
THE YEAR OF THE YAO
An Endgame Entertainment/NBA Entertainment production
Credits:
Directors: James D. Stern, Adam del Deo
Prodcuers: Christopher Chen, Paul Hirschheimer, James D. Stern, Adam del Deo
Editors: Jeff Werner, Michael Tolajian
Creative Director: Jun Diaz
Music: James L. Venable
No MPAA rating
Running --- 88 minutes...
You don't have to be a hoops fan to know that Yao Ming is a 7'5 inch basketball sensation from China. He's already become a big star in North America, and carries the hopes and dreams of the entire Chinese population, as the dominating center of the Houston Rockets.
The Year Of The Yao tries to gives us a look at the man behind the gentle giant during his first season as a pro, with close access to him at home, on the road, in the locker room and trying out North American delicacies like Taco Bell. What emerges is that Yao is a fascinating individual with great humor and modesty, as well as the potential to be one of the greats.
Unfortunately, that's all we really find out about the guy. Sports fans might be satisfied with this kind of standard superficial athlete profile, but the film is not likely to have much range outside of the ESPN subscriber base. Given that the project was produced with NBA Entertainment, it's no surprise. The Year Of The Yao is essentially a fluff job, designed to build a myth around their new icon, while leaving more sensitive issues like race, politics and money sitting on the bench.
In fact, filmmakers James Stern (Michael Jordan To The Max) and Adam Del Deo leaves a lot of deeper territories unexplored and untouched. Packaged with inspirational music and some over-the-top narration, the doc includes snippet insights from people like Yahoo's Jerry Yang, Bill Clinton, the Chinese Ambassador to and teammates all of whom gush about Yao's importance to Asians, international sports and (gulp!) world peace. The film's introduction about the mystery and history of China and its glorious sports culture is also quite gagging.
But as far as real insight, The Year Of The Yao presents little more than anecdotal scenes of Yao acclimatizing to American culture and the demands of a American sports career, one pampered with luxuries beyond his meager beginning in Shanghai. The only real interesting character development is his relationship with Colin Pine, Yao's young fulltime translator who is just as much of a rookie in terms of adapting to the NBA. There's not much interaction with his parents, teammates or opponents. The film is like having an all-access pass and not exploiting it for even a backstage free soda.
The film is pretty much a glossied diary following draft day 2003 through to the end of Yao's first season. A typical sports narration carries most of the drama, while insignificant drama is built up for exaggerated effect. A flippant comment by loudmouth former player turned broadcaster Charles Barkley is played for all its empty controversy. Games against Los Angeles Lakers are promoted as personal showdowns between Shaq and Yao.
More interesting might be some insight from Yao on the bling-bling culture of the league? What does he think of the Western stereotypes about Chinese people? Has he read any coverage of way his home government is presented in American news? And what about the boatload of money he's now making? Forget it, The Year of The Yao is instead more interested in being there when Yao tries his first Taco Bell Grande. Take it for what it is, this is all about selling the NBA and marketing Yao Ming.
THE YEAR OF THE YAO
An Endgame Entertainment/NBA Entertainment production
Credits:
Directors: James D. Stern, Adam del Deo
Prodcuers: Christopher Chen, Paul Hirschheimer, James D. Stern, Adam del Deo
Editors: Jeff Werner, Michael Tolajian
Creative Director: Jun Diaz
Music: James L. Venable
No MPAA rating
Running --- 88 minutes...
- 9/15/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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