BuzzFlash Reviews

BUZZFLASH REVIEWS

Well, sometimes even BuzzFlash needs a break from politics to recharge our batteries. And watching the mesmerizing "Rivers and Tides" was like going from 100 MPH to a dead stop in the middle of the sea of tranquility.

How refreshing: there is nothing even remotely political about this remarkable documentary. This portrait of Scottish artist Andy Goldsworthy leaves you feeling calm and enchanted as it takes you into the mindset of a man whose palette is nature itself.

The film respectfully moves back and forth between Goldsworthy's perspective on his ephemeral creations and documenting him at work. It's not long into the documentary before you are absorbed into his solitary world of creating fantastic forms out of whatever natural environment he finds himself in.

It would be hard to imagine anyone so brilliant and innovative in the art world without viewing this film. Goldsworthy reawakens us to the patterns and rhythms of natural settings. And the cinematography is rich and absorbing.

The distributor of "Rivers and Tides" describes it this way: "In the timeless tradition of 'Winged Migration' and 'Koyaanisqatsi,' the theatrical phenomenon 'Rivers and Tides' depicts the magical relationship between art and nature while painting a visually intoxicating portrait of famed artist Andy Goldsworthy. Gorgeously shot and masterfully edited, the film follows the bohemian free spirit Goldsworthy all over the world as he demonstrates and opens up about his unique creative process. From his long-winding rock walls and icicle sculptures to his interlocking leaf chains and multicolored pools of flowers, Goldsworthy's painstakingly intricate masterpieces are made entirely of materials found in Mother Nature - who threatens and often succeeds in destroying his art, sometimes before it is even finished.

"With over ten four-star reviews from the nation's top critics, 'Rivers and Tides' serenely captures Goldsworthy in the midst of constructing his trademark ephemera on-camera creating a mesmerizing cinematic experience that helps us to appreciate nature in new and enchanting ways."

In a larger context, Goldsworthy and "River and Tides" remind us that we are endowed with the ability to be creators. Sometimes, even we at BuzzFlash, become so absorbed with outrage at the destroyers in our midst, we too, in a way, forget about the sublime joy and energy at work in the act of creating.

Goldsworthy is so totally energized by his artistic endeavors that he is a refreshing antidote to the great pain of watching our nation be run into the ground by dangerous and deceitful men.

Serene and nourishing are two words that we saw in reviews about "River and Tides." Quite accurate indeed.

BUZZFLASH REVIEWS