Nigel Martin Movies
- 2007
An eccentric but brilliant early 19th Century scientist attempts to convince the Prime Minister that the world will end in 2008 in director Rolf de Heer's silent, monochromatic tribute to the slapstick classics of Mack Sennett and Hal Roach. Dr. Plonk (Nigel Lunghi) may be living in the year 1907, but he has recently discovered that mankind's time on planet Earth is about to expire. As Dr. Plonk's mute assistant Paulus (Paul Blackwell) lumbers around the lab doing his best to keep the various experiments moving along, Mrs. Plonk (Magda Szubanski) drives her overworked maid (Phoebe Paterson de Heer) to the point of exhaustion and the family pooch does his best to simply stay out from under everyone's feet. Upon discovering that the world will end in exactly 101 years, Dr. Plonk makes an unsuccessful attempt to convince unbelieving Prime Minister Stalk (Wayne Anthoney) that something must be done before it's too late. In a desperate bit to back up his findings, Dr. Plonk constructs a time machine that will allow him to travel into the future and bring back irrefutable evidence of mankind's ultimate demise. Though their misadventures through time at first find Dr. Plonk and Paulus appearing in the free-love era and nearly turning up as dinner for a tribe of hungry cannibals, the pair eventually gets it right and makes it to Adelaide of 2007. Though the public at large seems hopelessly clueless about the impending destruction that's plain to see for anyone willing to open their eyes, Dr. Plonk beliefs himself fortunate when he scores an exclusive one-on-one with 21st Century Prime Minister Short (South Australian Premier Mike Rann). Unfortunately for Dr. Plonk, and perhaps all of mankind, clueless officials immediately deem the genius time traveler a terrorist suspect and attempt to capture him for questioning before he makes the leap back to 1907. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nigel Lunghi, Nigel Martin, (more)
A young girl takes it upon herself to stop a vicious rumor about her new best friend in the comedy Sally Marshall Is Not An Alien. Pip (Helen Neville) is a 12-year-old girl living with her family in Adelaide who isn't like the other kids she knows -- she's smart, serious and likes to watch the skies with her prized telescope. She's also a bit shy and doesn't know what to do about Ben (Glenn McMillian), a neighborhood boy who seems to like her. Rhonnie (Thea Gumbert), a mean-spirited girl in the neighborhood, doesn't much like Pip and doesn't care who knows it. However, Rhonnie discovers someone who bothers her even more when Sally Marshall (Natalie Vansier) moves into town. Sally wears dark glasses, reads grown-up books, likes to hang upside down and doesn't have an Australian accent. Sally is obviously not from around these parts, and Rhonnie is convinced this means Sally is a visitor from outer space. Pip finds this ridiculous and accepts a challenge from Rhonnie -- either prove conclusively that Sally isn't a space alien, or lose her telescope. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helen Neville, Nathalie Vansier, (more)
