Almost Salinas

This is a movie which has rich and endearing characters, memorable relationships, warmth,intrigue and humor. The vistas are colorful and so real that one feels the warm California air and the breezy sunsets.

The viewer is drawn into this compelling story as they should be...slowly and carefully. We are allowed time to savor each moment and believe in the characters. Whether from careful editing or marvelous talent, this movie flows from scene to scene, telling a story we all thought had been done to death. Although not yet seen much in the U.S. it is surely worth any effort to track down a copy.

The poignant complexity of "Almost Salinas" was beautifully superimposed on the intoxicating beauty of a seemingly godforsaken stretch of an isolated stretch of California highway. "Almost Salinas" was a movie about a movie in production, depicting James Dean's fatal car crash on his way to Salinas. In a masterful and creative way, John Green used film production, his own medium, to metaphorically allow the viewer to peer into the complex lives of very simple people. Viewers are treated to stunning cinematography as well as a well written script. This movie is a sleeper. John Green has done a superb job. I wish him well.

This is no blockbuster and it would be easy to pass it off as an also ran but it deserves closer scrutiny because of the emotion passed across successfully by the team and the nostalgia we all feel at some time in our lives, what might have been if the cookie had crumbled another way. It's never pleasant dwelling on a young life wasted and that is dealt with superbly. I am driven to watching it periodically when I need to get my feet back on the ground. It's in my special collection. I am not a James Dean fan and I have never watched one of his movies. I am now ready to do so and find out why guy, who I thought was a wayward Biker is so revered.

What a relaxing way to spend a few hours! Sometimes you are lucky enough to come across a movie by accident and are drawn into its story – for me, this was one of those fortunate occasions. This is a very gentle movie. The characters are just ordinary people and, as such, come with emotional baggage and their own hopes and dreams. Gradually, however, we find out that one of them is linked tragically to someone rather more famous. The scenery provides a stunning backdrop that emphasises the loneliness of the individual characters. The light, which envelopes the hills at dusk, has a peculiar and beautiful quality to it and the scene where Max and Nina are sitting on the hillside drinking gives a cautious sense of hope for their future. This is not a movie for those who crave action but I do recommend this for those who enjoy stories driven by the characters.