Including Christian Films and the representation of faith in film.
Latest Material, including articles published on Christian News sites
From 2024 most re-publication is now on John Sandeman’s independent Christian news site perhaps provocatively entitled The Other Cheek
Vale Dr Keith Suter AM, a reflection on his involvement in the church (PDF 4 pages). A shorter version of this article was posted on The Other Cheek on 13 December 2025.
ARPA in 1975. A brief look at the ARPA Christian Press awards. (PDF 2 pages). Posted on The Other Cheek 12 November 2025
A Historical Faith. A review of Priests of History by Sarah Irving-Stonebraker. August 2025. (PDF 4 Pages) Posted on The Other Cheek 6 September 2025
The First Hymn (Documentary): A Review (PDF 1 Page); Posted on The Other Cheek
A review of Scott Morrison’s memoir Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony of God’s Faithfulness (note, a year after publication, updated for May 2025 (PDF 5 Pages; Posted on 21 May 2025
Review of the UK Series Adolescence (2025), combined with a review of the book The End of Men by Simon Smart CPX April 2025 (PDF 5 pages)
A topical USA series reflection (using film and television) The USA and Football (Including the Super Bowl): Extract Draft article Posted on The Other Cheek 9 February 2025
The USA and the states of contradiction. January 2025 Note: an updated comment (edited and updated for clarification from the November 2024 article).
A further article from the USA Series reflection (in film and television) (2024): The USA and the White House Press Secretary.
The Way is My Way – A review of the Australian film The Way, My Way now on Netflix. Posted on The Other Cheek on 30/12/2024
Scott Morrison’s ‘Plans for Your Good’ – a review updated and posted on The Other Cheek 21 May 2025
The Complexity of Housing in Australia Today (PDF 4 Pages) November 2024 Posted on The Other Cheek 25 November 2024
The Hopeful Movie – a review
A Review of From ‘Maychew to Sydney’ An Ethiopian’s journey to Australia and a call to Prison Ministry in his home country (PDF 2 Pages) October 2024. Posted on The Other Cheek 20 October 2024
‘A final word’. Devotional presentation at the 2024 Australasian Religious Press Association Conference on 24 September 2024. (PDF 3 pages)
The Australasian Religious Press Association 1974 to 2024. A brief history and reflection. Presented at the 2024 ARPA Conference 23 September 2024 (PDF 5 Pages). Posted on The Other Cheek 14 October 2024
The Legacy of Rev. Dr Robert Iles (PDF 1 Page) September 2024. Posted on The Other Cheek on 30 September 2024.
Justice Michael Lee and The Bible, and Culture (PDF 4 Pages) July 2024. Posted on The Other Cheek 24 July 2024
The USA and Voting (PDF 4 pages) [Revised article July 2024].
Digital Congregations: A report on a webinar held in Melbourne in June 2024 outlining research about the development of digital congregations, particularly from Covid-19 times. (PDF 2 Pages) Posted on The Other Cheek on 12 July 2024
A Review of the Australian film ‘The Way, My Way’ – along the Camino (PDF 2 Pages) June 2024
Is the World really so bad today? April 2024 (PDF 6 Pages) and posted on The Other Cheek on 23 April 2024 in two parts. One part considers Christian responses.
A Reflection/Review of Biblical Critical Theory March 2024 Posted online on The Other Cheek 17/3/2024. PDF copy March 2023
Blessing by Bequest (Your Will): PDF February 2024. and also Posted online on The Other Cheek on 16/2/2024
More than Maintaining the Faith (A Review of Keeping the Faith) February 2024. Posted online on The Other Cheek 6/2/2024
Zoom Etiquette. Some aspects for consideration. January 2024. Posted on The Other Cheek website 27 April 2024
iGods Ten Years on (A reflection ten years on): July 2023; Posted on Online 28 July 2023
The Lure of Space Exploration; A Review of Son of Apollo: July 2023; Posted online 1 September 2023
The Courageous Ask [Questions that need asking]: A Book Review: PDF Version May 2023; Posted Online 29 June 2023
Jesus Revolution: A Review: PDF Version May 2023; Posted online May 2023
The Words We Use: PDF Version: Posted online 22 March 2023
The Consequences of the sexual revolution PDF Version – Posted online 14 March 2023.
Themes in USA Culture and Society through USA Movies and TV Series.
No. 11 The USA and Voting: PDF Version June 2023; Posted Online 23 June 2023
No. 10 The USA and Personal Image PDF Version – Posted online 9 June 2022
No. 9 The USA and the Supremes (the Justices, not the group) – PDF Version: Posted online 5 May 2022
No. 8 The USA and Black History: with reference to Roots, Marshall, and Gods and Generals: PDF Version; posted online: 13 December 2021
No. 7 The USA and Capital Punishment. PDF Version; Posted Online 29 November 2021.
No. 6 The USA and Abortion. PDF version updated February 2025; Posted Online 26 October 2021.
No. 5 The USA and Politics – a time to polarise. PDF Version (Revised); Posted online 23 September 2021.
No. 4 The USA and Religion; The end times and the good times; PDF Version; Posted Online 16 August 2021
No. 3 The USA and Freedom: with reference to The Right Stuff (The Nat Geo/Disney 2019 series). PDF Version; Posted online 12 July 2021
No. 2 The USA and Reality TV (PDF): Posted online 7 June 2021
No. 1 The USA and Celebrity: The documentary series O.J.: Made in America and drama The People v O. J. Simpson PDF Version Posted 3 May 2021
Reflections on Walking the Camino de Sydney in 2021.
Part 1: PDF; Posted online 20 January 2022
Part 2: PDF; Posted online 25 February 2022
Part 3: PDF; Tips for Walking; Posted online 31 March 2022
Three Cheers? A consideration of the role and impact of alcohol in three films released in 2020. Posted 29 March 2021
Riding the Waves with Faith [Soul Surfer and the documentary Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable] (Posted 22 February 2021)
Broken and Unbroken: Path to Redemption (January 18 2021)
Saint Judy and Same Kind of Different as Me: Two ‘Hollywood Christian Films’ (Posted December 2020)
The Girl on the Bridge – Note: suicide prevention theme. (Posted November 2020)
Articles from ACCatalyst magazine
The Penitent Thief (Posted 6 March 2021)
Christmas Jars ( Posted 2 December 2020)
Same Kind of Different as Me (a review); and ACCatalyst June 2020, with Messiah review.
Fred Nile Documentary, ACCatalyst, December 2019.
Little Women (2019 Film), ACCatalyst December 2019.
Billy Graham: An Extraordinary Life; ACCatalyst, June 2019.
A.D. The Bible Continues (Television series); ACCatalyst, March 2019.
A Review of the Christian film New Life; ACCatalyst, March 2019.
A review of the Christian film I’m in Love with a Church Girl ACCatalyst, December 2018
A Review of the film Come Sunday; ACCatalyst December 2018
A look at the early filmic work by the Salvation Army Soldiers of the Cross: ACCatalyst September 2018
A review of the CPX documentary; For the Love of God: How the Church is Better and Worse than you Ever Imagined: ACCatalyst, June 2018
A review of Paul – The Apostle: ACCatalyst, June 2018
A review of the Australian film: Sweet Country: ACCatalyst, March 2018
A review of Battle of the Sexes, a film slightly updated for the 21st Century: ACCatalyst December 2017.
Christmas Films, ACCatalyst December 2017.
A look at the new era of viewing and guide to streaming services: ACCatalyst September 2018
Denial, ACCatalyst June 2017
A Man Called Ove, ACCatalyst, June 2017
Star Wars: 40th Anniversary, ACCatalyst, June 2017
Silence ‘In the Silence’, ACCatalyst, March 2017
Hacksaw Ridge, ACCatalyst, December 2016.
The Tale of Ruby Rose, (Australian film set in the Walls of Jerusalem in Tasmania); ACCatalyst, September 2016
Risen, the story of the resurrection through the eyes of a Roman soldier: ACCatalyst, June 2016
Spotlight: Church in the Spotlight, ACCatalyst, June 2016
Believe Me? A Good Question, ACCatalyst, March 2016
War Room [new Sherwood Picture]: War Room Indeed, ACCatalyst, December 2015
Last Cab to Darwin, ACCatalyst, December 2015
A theological and cultural look at the cult Television series about a serial killer: Dexter (first posted in 2009), revised 6 July 2015 (PDF)
Hollywood and Marriage in Film, ACCatalyst, June 2015
Exodus: Gods and Kings: A comment review, ACCatalyst, March 2015
Film Ministry for a Brave New World, ACCatalyst, December 2014
Freedom: a new experience of Amazing Grace, ACCatalyst, September 2014
Son of God, ACCatalyst July 2014
12 Years a Slave – a critique, ACCatalyst, July 2014
The Railway Man: The life and times of Eric Lomax, Survivor of the Thai-Burma Railway, ACCatalyst, March 2014
Twenty Feet from Stardom, ACCatalyst, March 2014
Christ Figures and Film, December 2013, ACCatalyst
The Letter Writer, ACCatalyst, September 2013
Blue like Jazz, ACCatalyst, July 2013
Les Miserables (2012 Film Musical), ACCatalyst, July 2013
Faith in Foreign Films: Babette’s Feast (Denmark), Jesus of Montreal (Canada); As it is in Heaven (Sweden), Adam’s Apples (Denmark), Letter to Pastor Jaakob (Finland), ACCatalyst, April 2013
Pastors in Films: Billy The Early Years, The Holy Roller, and The Sessions, ACCatalyst, February 2013
Summer Viewing for 2012-13; Including the films of Paul Thomas Anderson, ACCatalyst, December 2012
Above includes a review of The Master, ACCatalyst, December 2012
Suing the Devil [A gentle review], ACCatalyst, August 2012
The Artist (Oscar winning silent film), ACCatalyst, June 2012
When Love is not Enough [Founding of Al-Anon], and License to Kill [drink-driving theme]; ACCatalyst, April 2012
Red Dog, ACCatalyst, February 2012
The Iron Lady, ACCatalyst, February 2012
Summer Viewing – A selection of short reviews of Christian films including The Climb, and a Review of The Adjustment Bureau, ACCatalyst, December 2011
Courageous (A New Sherwood Film), ACCatalyst, December 2011
The Tree of Life, ACCatalyst, October 2011
What If? ACCatalyst, October 2011
The Grandfathers: New Hearts [final film in the missionary trilogy], ACCatalyst, August 2011
The Book of Eli: the Good Book, ACCatalyst, August 2011
Snowtown, ACCatalyst, June 2011 (and The Board a local church film)
Hereafter – more than human love, ACCatalyst, April 2011
The Social Network – The Social Phenomenon, ACCatalyst, February 2011 (and The King’s Speech)
Christmas Viewing, ACCatalyst, December 2010 (including Christmas Snow and Wall Street Two: Money Never Sleeps)
Gruen Transfiguration: further reflections on the Gruen TV programmes, ACCatalyst, October 2010
The Blind Side and The Note: Faith in films, ACCatalyst, August 2010
The Road: Do all roads lead to God? ACCatalyst, April, 2010.
Australia: Because of the wonderful things he does: Baz Luhrmann’s Oz. A review essay about the film and Australia. Posted 11 February 2010.
Bran Nue Dae. ACCatalyst, February 2010.
The Boys are Back. ACCatalyst, 2010.
Balibo – an inconvenient truth. ACCatalyst, September 2009.
Samson and Delilah: searching for hope amid despair, ACCatalyst, June 2009. This review won the Gold Award for ‘Best review of another medium’ at the 2010 Australasian Religious Press Association Awards. The judge commented: “Placing the film in both cinematic and religious context, the reviewer astutely and convincingly draws out a Christian appellation of this important Australian film – a perspective as he noted, that many mainstream reviewers neglected.”
Doubt – a Review of the film, ACCatalyst, March 2009
Salute [The Christian Connection and Story of 1968 Olympian Peter Norman], ACCatalyst September 2008.
God on my Side [Review essay on the Andrew Denton Documentary about the 2006 National Religious Broadcasters Convention, Nashville]. ACCatalyst, June 2008.
The Nativity Story, ACCatalyst December 2007.
Amazing Grace: A grace-filled film. ACCatalyst September 2007.
Other Publications
A Categorised Selection of Australian Movies on Video and The Worried Christian’s Guide to films on video, Australian Presbyterian Living Today, December 1989.
Funerals, Frigidity and Fanaticism: the representation of religion in Australian feature films, St Mark’s Review, Winter 1990.
Dingo Girl: Ten Years On. Review article – Evil Angels/People: Writing about the Film. Australian Religion Studies Review, Vol. 3, No. 1, September 1990.
Do-it-yourself Justice [Review of the film Kokoda Crescent], Journey (Queensland Synod UCA), November 1990.
Life after Limbo [Review of the film Awakenings], Journey (Queensland Synod UCA), February 1991.
Flirting with films [Films and TV filmed at St Andrew’s College], St Andrew’s College Newsletter, Vol. 4, No. October 1991.
Rites and Roles: Religion in Australian Films of the Silent Period, 1990 – 1929, Chapter in From Back Pews to Front Stalls: The Churches in 100 years of Australian Cinema, A special edition of Compass Theology Review, No. 3 Spring 1996.
Archival Website for Peter Bentley 