the alley Newspaper | News & Views of Phillips Since 1976

Who has been the Light For Us? Tell your “Light” story, See “Lighted” 15th Avenue Bridge

Written by editor on 02 January 2014

By Patrick Cabello Hansel

Winter has been the time for humans to reflect on darkness, and seek the light. Almost every culture and religion has winter celebrations that revolve around light, from Hanukkah to Santa Lucia to Kwanzaa to Solstice and Christmas. There is something about lighting a candle or a bonfire on a cold winter night that gives joy. We are also lights that bring joy in the midst of darkness””whether that darkness be illness or racism or violence or loneliness. We are light, and we can be light to others.

As part of its work building the Phillips Avenue of the Arts, St. Paul”'s Church on 15th Avenue is gathering stories of light, which will be shared throughout the season. We are asking our neighbors to reflect on these two questions:

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Dallas Buyers Club

Written by editor on 02 January 2014

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)Â

****1/2

Focus Features. Drama

Cast: Matthew McConaughey (Ron Woodroof), Jared Leto (Rayon), Jennifer Garner (Dr. Eve Saks), Dallas Roberts (David Wayne), Steve Zahn (Tucker), Griffin Dunne (Dr. Vass). Running time: 117 minutes. Director: Jean-Marc Vallee.

Back in the early 1980s when the AIDS disease “first” struck, it is a death sentence for almost everyone contracting AIDS. Matthew Mc Conaughey”'s Ron Woodroof is a Texas electrician/rodeo cowboy living a risky lifestyle of illicit sex, drugs and partying but in 1985 after what seems to be a brief illness he”'s told by his doctors he”'s HIV-positive at age 35. At first Woodroof rejects the news casting it as a disease of homosexuals. Woodroof is rabidly homophobic and makes it known to all concerned. He continues, for a while, to drink, snort cocaine, and have sex with women he picks up at the bars.