Pell James Movies

Broken Lizard alumni Paul Soter takes a break from comedy to craft this haunted house film about a pair of sleep deprived parents who begin to experience disturbing visions after moving from the city to the country. Alex and Penny have just become the proud parents of a baby boy when they decide that the big city is no place to raise a child. Relocating to a remote farmhouse, the once-happy couple finds their relationship slowly deteriorating due to the constant demands of caring for a newborn, including an acute lack of sleep. When both Alex and Penny begin seeing a mysterious woman around the home, they at first dismiss the sightings as hallucinations brought on by sleeplessness. But as the visions become more frequent, the frightened parents are forced to consider that dark forces are at work in their home. By the time the shocking truth about their new abode is revealed, however, their tenuous grip on sanity has already begun to slip. Pell James and Johnathon Schaech star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A jaded psychiatrist takes on a pro bono case that puts his professionalism to the ultimate test in director Jonas Pate's knowing exposé of the "other" Hollywood. Between sorting through the insecurities of a fading film starlet (Saffron Burrows), a struggling writer (Mark Webber), and an obsessive-compulsive talent agent (Dallas Roberts), A-list psychiatrist Henry Carter (Kevin Spacey) barely has the time to deal with his own problems. Suddenly, into the middle of Henry's malaise wanders a troubled teen who's never even set foot in the Hollywood Hills. This is Henry's first pro bono client, and considering his current state, he's not sure that now is the best time to be taking on more work. While Henry is jaded by Hollywood, his newest patient is obsessed with it. Faced with the challenge of helping a young girl through a particularly difficult time in her life, Henry does his best to remain professional despite harboring some rather serious misgivings during their first few sessions. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The tree-lined streets of a picturesque suburban neighborhood cast a dark shadow over a deadly secret in this morbid tale of unhinged madness and vile self-mutilation. When Bob and Wendi Peterson purchased their dream home on Wormwood Drive, they thought they were taking the first step towards a wonderful new life. Their new neighbor, Adrien Trumbull, came by to welcome them with a friendly smile and a box of chocolates, and it seemed as if the couple was now as far away from the crime-ridden streets of the big city as possible. But the madness doesn't stop at the city limits, it has a strange way of corrupting even the most serine of surroundings as well. Now, as Bob and Wendi begin to uncover the terrifying truth about their outwardly smiling neighbor Adrien, they quickly discover how useless the Neighborhood Watch program is when the one you fear most lives just next door. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A young man exacts a thorough revenge against the father who abandoned him in this independent drama. Elvis (Gael García Bernal) is a young man in his early twenties who, after finishing a hitch in the Navy, learns that his biological father was Pastor David Sandow (William Hurt), a man of the cloth who has never taken responsibility for siring a child out of wedlock. Elvis travels to Corpus Christi, TX, to confront Sandow about his past; the pastor asks Elvis to let him break the news to his wife and children himself, and assures the young man he wants to stay in contact with him. Elvis, however, prefers to handle matters in his own way. First Elvis sets his sights on Malerie (Pell James), the pastor's teenage daughter, and after winning her trust, takes the girl's virginity. Malerie soon discovers she's pregnant, and after her older brother Paul (Paul Dano) sees Elvis slipping out of the house following a liason with the girl, he confronts the seducer and is stabbed and killed.
Elvis manages to cover his tracks cleanly enough that no one is certain Paul is dead. Next, Elvis goes to great lengths to ingratiate himself with Sandow, and despite the objections of his wife (Laura Harring), the pastor eventually invites the man who killed his son and violated his daughter to live under the same roof with his family. The King was the first dramatic feature from director James Marsh, who previously distinguished himself in documentaries. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Two talented young people head to California looking for fame, but find love along the way in this romantic drama. Luke (Steven Strait) is a struggling rock musician who has decided to leave New York City for the seemingly greener pastures of Los Angeles. A few days before he leaves, he spots a beautiful girl on the subway who gives him a big smile, giving him brief second thoughts. However, Luke heads out to L.A. anyway, and after months of scuffling lands a gig -- and sees the beautiful girl, Brier (Pell James), in the audience. Brier is an aspiring actress who, like Luke, came to L.A. to boost her career; she's taking acting classes at a well-respected workshop, and has landed a less-than-glamorous but lucrative deodorant commercial. Luke and Brier strike up a friendship, though it's obvious he's interested in something deeper; as Luke tries to score a record deal, Brier and her best friend Clea (Ashlee Simpson) try to spruce up his image and create some buzz about his music. But as Luke falls hard for Brier, she develops greater qualms about getting involved with a musician who will spend half his life on the road, and their shared desire for that big break may be the thing that keeps them apart. Undiscovered also stars Carrie Fisher, Kip Pardue, and Fisher Stevens. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A chance encounter prompts a young couple to forsake everything they have ever known in the hopes of truly experiencing life as never before in director Jeff Winner's reckless romantic drama. After meeting and falling in love over the course of just one weekend, Kevin (Karl Geary) and Ro (Stephanie Szostak) vow never to lie to each other and to dare each other to do the one thing they fear most. As the new pair hastily abandons their jobs, sells their possessions, and bets everything they have on love, reality rears its ugly head when they are forced to take up a life or crime as a means for survival. Meanwhile, Ro struggles with a pressing secret that could break them up for ever if revealed, or slowly drive them apart if held too close to her heart ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi