Watch Almost Salinas For Free

To me, this movie is perfection.

Excellent adaptation.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

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

This is a lovely movie that pretends to be nothing but a great way to spend 90 minutes in front of the TV on a rainy evening. The movie centres on a man living in a gas stop in Salinas, which is the area where James Dean died. A film crew arrive to do a story on the death of James Dean. Meanwhile, a mature woman, quite sophisticated is conducting her own investigation of why there would be a man living in Salinas operating an unsuccessful gas station in such a remote area. The story may lack sophistication. However, that is just what makes it so quaint. I enjoyed this movie, as a reprieve from the usual competition for more action, more visuals and more excitement. Just a simply made, nice movie. Don't try to read anything into it.

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.

Being a fan of actress Virginia Madsen, I have been especially looking forward to seeing this movie, and have long sought a copy for my video collection.After finally locating one through a source in Austrailia, I recently saw it and found it to be worth the wait.For the life of me, I don't know why this film didn't get more attention; then again I am sure there are reasons, such as being an independent film and automatically not going beyond the art houses, and perhaps the cast being mostly middle-aged and older, which probably would not interest the Gen Xers.It is a shame though, being such a fine film, with a good story and a great cast, and not to mention one of Virginia Madsen's best performances.One thing for certain is that Virginia has remained consistent, in that she seems to do her best work in movies no one ever gets to see, such as her remarkable performance in "American Gun", in which we watch her character successfully age from a teenager to middle-age.Once again, another film that deserved more attention, but at least it is on video and has even been on cable once or twice.From what I have been reading lately, she seems to want to continue making independent movies in the future, a very wise move if you ask me, when you consider her early career and her treatment in 'mainstream' movies.I hope with her unqualified success in "Sideways", she will now be noticed, and that she will get much better roles that are worthy of her in much better films; though admittedly it is going to be hard to top her Oscar-nominated performance as Maya.In any event, she deserves it !!!In regards to this film, the producers do a great deal with their limited budget and resources, by cleverly telling a 'story within a story', that is the making a 'bio-pic' about actor James Dean.This gives the film a rather warm, nostalgic feel; as does the retro-50's gas station reopened by John Mahoney's character; and though the cast is decidedly older and middle-aged (hard to think of Virginia Madsen that way !!!), there is a slight nod to the Xers in the cast as well.Too bad that this film never found its audience, especially with such a likable cast, that includes an array of quirky and lovable characters, for this is a movie I would want to see often, even if Virginia Madsen wasn't in the cast. In the past, more often than not, when I found any movie Virginia Madsen was in, I tend to just zip through it to note what scenes she appeared in, then putting the video away to gather dust somewhere.Not this time !!!In my opinion, "Almost Salinas" is an example of what an independent film is all about, and hopefully is a reflection of not only Virginia Madsen's continued good fortune, but also a general trend towards what film should be; that is a production that deals in more human terms and away from the big-budget spectacles that have been shoved down the public's throat lately. Take my word on this, seek this one out by all means, even if you have to go to Austrailia to find a copy, like I did.You won't regret it !!!

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.