Tom and I saw two movies in two weekends, allowing us to kid ourselves that we're movie buffs. Not! Every time we decide to see a movie, it turns into a last-minute decision whether or not we'll actually go.

Last weekend we saw Rivers and Tides, a movie about the work and methods of environmental sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. He works outdoors in all climates and weathers, creating works from natural materials that are more or less ephemeral. Masses of golden dandelion flowers filling a rocky pool beside a rushing creek; a massive fieldstone covered with sheep's wool; a giant standing egg made of ice shards; and a lacy, fragile weaving of twigs hanging from a tree branch were just a few of the works documented in the movie. I want to call the works simple but astonishing--simple, because they're made from plentiful, natural substances like ice and stone and leaves, and astonishing because who would think to construct such things? But I'm not sure simple is the right word for works of art that, even if made of stone, are so delicate and precarious that it's lucky they survive long enough to be photographed.

My favorite scene from Rivers and Tides showed a spiral of bright green leaves, stitched together in a long chain with twigs that looked like toothpicks, uncurling on the surface of a river pool and meandering downstream, floating like a paper snake. The leaves and twigs, though fragile, had just the right degree of sturdiness to bob along for a long time, highlighting the beautiful variations of the water's surface and movement. It gave the eye something to linger on, to ride slowly along the river and appreciate the subtle currents, instead of just quickly taking in the river as a whole and moving on.

I liked Goldsworthy's way of talking about nature and his art. He invests nature with his own way of seeing its interconnectedness, but he talks about it unself-consciously. Unless I'm projecting, he seems down to earth and not like somebody who is grasping at alternative or borrowed spirituality. He does what he's inspired to do, and it's exciting to see what he comes up with.

Yesterday we saw Bend It Like Beckham, which was a lot of fun and the hottest movie in Seattle, based on the lively audience in the packed theater. An Indian teenager growing up in suburban London is a talented football player and has to battle her traditional, religious parents, who just want her to start preparing for marriage. She secretly finds her way onto a women's amateur team and explores her gift while negotiating through mainstream English teen culture. There's lots of poignancy and lots of comedy, a great soundtrack, exuberant wedding and sports scenes, and good examples for kids about pursuing your passions. The acting was amazing; as I like to do, I forgot I was watching people act. I really enjoyed the movie and wished I could go back to my teen years and experience the joy of team sports--I missed that altogether. I got my athletic outlet through bicycling and hiking because team settings were too intimidating. Seeing a movie like this helps me see the good side of organized sports.