News

Hidden away in New Zealand’s spectacular Waitere Ranges, Loop Track introduces us to Ian, a man seeking solace on a solo hiking trip. Directed and starring Thomas Sainsbury, the film offers a glimpse into Ian’s fractured psyche as he embarks on a winding forest path. Plagued by loneliness and doubts, Ian struggles to find peace in nature’s calm.

His efforts to wander alone are futile, though, as the trail brings him face-to-face with other travelers. First comes Nicky, an upbeat fellow hiker who refuses to leave Ian’s side. Later, the pair crosses paths with Austin and Monica, a friendly Australian couple exploring the woods. As Ian’s discomfort grows, simple sounds in the bushes take on a sinister air. Are the shadows of his troubled mind creeping closer, or does real danger stalk the forest fringe?

Balancing delicate tones of drama, mystery, and horror, Loop Track crafts an immersive,...

Writer-director Thomas Sainsbury plays a twitchy divorcee who wants to get away from it all, but this intriguing journey disappoints at the final hurdle

“I just wanted some quiet. But it’s so quiet out here. And all I can hear is my brain.” New Zealand hiker Ian (Thomas Sainsbury) isn’t so much a worrywart as a one-man anxiety epidemic. Out trekking solo in the forest to get away from a divorce, everything is a source of torment to this clammy-browed sadsack: his blisters, the possibility of encountering other hikers, but especially the lingering possibility something is lurking in the darkness behind him at the path’s vanishing point. Luckily, fellow wayfarer Nicky (Hayden J Weal) takes Ian under his wing.

It’s not clear if loquacious Nicky, a glucose shot in human form, is a boon companion or a further ordeal for Ian. Ditto loved-up Aussies Monica (Kate Simmonds...

There is no place better for a horror fan than the ever-growing film library of Shudder. It was already one of the most niche streaming services in the market, it is also perfect for giving the fans what they want by giving them new and exciting horror films every month. So, if you love Shudder and are wondering what are best movies coming to the Scream Queen of streaming services in June 2024, here are our best picks for you.

A Lonely Place to Die (June 3)

A Lonely Place to Die is a British action thriller film directed by Julian Gilbey from a screenplay co-written by Julian and Will Gilbey. The 2011 film follows the story of five hikers as they hear cries of pain in the wilderness and to their horror it’s a little girl buried in the ground. When they decide to get her to safety they are chased by the kidnappers.

A walk in the woods tends to spell trouble for horror movie characters, and Loop Track is no exception to this unspoken genre rule. However, despite its overused setup, Tom Sainsbury‘s directorial debut — a long feature seven years in the making — manages to feel fresh. Its innovation doesn’t so much lie in the story but rather the smart execution. Sainsbury takes an admirably deliberate approach to a conventional idea, all the while delivering a rewarding conclusion that will validate many folks’ fear of nature.

From start to finish, Loop Track is a tale fraught with anxiety and paranoia. Sainsbury plays his movie’s own main character, Ian, and his insight into this nervous fellow makes for a convincing performance. Viewers don’t have to wait long before Ian’s creeping terror begins; upon his first step into the forest, it’s clear something isn’t right here. The...

Now available on digital platforms and VOD from Dark Sky Films, we have an exclusive look at Thomas Sainsbury's Loop Track just for Daily Dead readers:

"Ian, a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown, disappears from the world and takes a hike in the New Zealand wilderness. His efforts to avoid other hikers are futile and he is drawn into their worlds, but he can never shake the feeling that they are being stalked by someone, or something, sinister. As Ian’s paranoia grows, the other hikers become wary of him. He’s cagey about his past, he never sleeps, and his anxiety leads him to make concerning claims. Far from society, Ian starts to question his own sanity before plunging into a bloody battle for survival."

Directed & Written by: Thomas Sainsbury Produced by: Gabriel Lunte, Jonathan Potton, Milon Tesiram Country of Origin: New Zealand Language: English...

"There's something in the trees..." Dark Sky Films has revealed an official trailer for an indie thriller from New Zealand titled Loop Track, arriving in the US this December to watch on VOD. This first premiered at the 2023 New Zealand Film Festival earlier in the year, and it also screened at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival. A four-day journey turns into a fight for survival – this is a psychological thriller about Ian, who wants to get as far away from humanity as possible, into the New Zealand bush. Some other individuals get attached to him. And he has the feeling that they are being followed. Is that real though? Far from society, Ian starts to question his sanity before plunging into a bloody battle for his own survival. Writer / director Thomas Sainsbury also stars as Ian, with a small cast including Hayden J. Weal, Tawanda Manyimo, Kate Simmonds, and Noa Campbell.

When it comes to horror, there’s always something dangerous lurking in the woods. A brand new trailer for New Zealand psychological thriller Loop Track teases that the threat could be an anxious man on the verge of a breakdown, or something far more monstrous.

Dark Sky Films will release Loop Track on VOD and Digital on December 1.

In Loop Track: “Ian, a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown, disappears from the world and takes a hike in the New Zealand wilderness. His efforts to avoid other hikers are futile and he is drawn into their worlds, but he can never shake the feeling that they are being stalked by someone, or something, sinister. As Ian’s paranoia grows, the other hikers become wary of him. He’s cagey about his past, he never sleeps, and his anxiety leads him to make concerning claims. Far from society,...

Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Takeshi Kitano, Juliette Binoche, Michael Pitt, Chin Han, Danusia Samal, Lasarus Ratuere, Yutaka Izumihara, Tawanda Manyimo, Anamaria Marinca | Written by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler, Ehren Kruger | Directed by Rupert Sanders

Based on the famous Kodansha Comics manga series of the same name, written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow, Ghost in the Shell follows Major (Scarlett Johansson), a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who believes she was rescued from near death. The first of her kind, Major is a human mind inside an artificial body designed to fight the war against cyber-crime. While investigating a dangerous criminal, Major makes a shocking discovery – the corporation that created her lied about her past life in order to control her. Unsure what to believe, Major will stop at nothing to unravel the mystery of her true identity and exact revenge against the corporation she was built to serve.

Ok,...

We’ve got a slick new IMAX poster for Ghost in the Shell featuring Scarlett Johansson as The Major laying someone out with a brutal beatdown. We also have a new photo of her sitting on her sweet motorcycle. I’ve also got eight character motion posters for you to check out featuring Major, Batou (Pilo Asbaek), Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano), Ishikawa (Lasarus Ratuere), Borma (Tawanda Manyimo), Saito (Yutaka Izumihara), Ladriya (Danusia Samal), and Togusa (Chin Han). When talking to Empire about the character she plays, Johansson said:

“She’s living a unique experience as somebody who has an idea of who she thinks she was, and then who she is now, and the person that she feels she is, this sort of gnawing feeling she has in her ghost. Being able to play those three sides: the ego, the superego and the id... That was pretty enticing.”

I’ve been...

Paramount has released 8 new motion posters today for the hotly anticipated live action version of Ghost In The Shell. The anime adaptation, due for release March 31st, has been gradually gaining buzz following its impressive Super Bowl teaser trailer and with just over a month to go until it debuts, excitement is, understandably, quite high.

The new motion posters feature Scarlett Johansson’s Major Motoko Kusanagi, the first “full body prosthesis” cybernetic human, and the seven members of her elite Section 9 special ops team, played by Takeshi Kitano, Danusia Samal, Pilou Asbaek, Yutaka Izumihara, Lasarus Ratuere, Tawanda Manyimo and Chin Han.

The film, which appears to closely hew to the 1995 anime original, follows Major and Section 9 has they hunt for an enigmatic hacker known as the Puppet Master. A cut above most anime, Ghost In The Shell takes an imaginative and intelligent look at identity in an increasingly technologically advanced society.

Ryan Lambie Kirsten Howard Simon Brew Mar 28, 2017

Ahead of its release this week, here's one final trailer for Ghost In The Shell, starring Scarlett Johansson...

Ahead of its release in UK cinemas this Thursday, one last trailer for Ghost In The Shell has been released, and you can see that right here...

See related Interview: Chris Addison talks In The Loop, standup & Tom Baker

And here's the opening five minutes from the film, that have also been released...

Here's the earlier trailer for the remake/reboot/retelling of Ghost In The Shell from last month, too, if you missed it...

More news as we have it, of course. In the meantime, feel free to flick over to page 2 of our Ghost In The Shell nerve centre, which is packed with loads more stuff about the new film.

Ghost In The Shell release date

Ghost In The Shell is out in...

Since Dreamworks announced the live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, the internet has been buzzing non-stop. A recent cast photo leak reveal an interesting group of actors. Casting controversies surrounding Avengers star, Scarlett Johansson has also been making the rounds.

Public Security Section 9 will also include Tawanda Manyimo, Yutaka Izumihara, Pilou Asbæk, Beat Takeshi, Chin Han and Lasarus Ratuere. Check out these cast stills and tell us what you think!

Beat Takeshi as Daisuke Aramaki.

Chin Han as Togusa.

Lasarus Ratuere as Ishikawa.

Tawanda Manyimo as Boma.

Yutaka Izumihara as Saito.

Pilou Asbæk as Batou.

Scarlett Johansson as The Major.

Ghost in the Shell

Section 9 is a futuristic anti-terrorist intelligence agency. Their main task is to stop cyber criminals and hackers. The film takes us to an action-packed adventure as the task force faces a new enemy. The Major and her team protect Hanka Robotic’s Artificial Intelligence technology from criminal hands.

A collection of low-quality photos has surfaced from director Rupert Sanders' live-action Ghost in the Shell film adaptation. The images feature the characters that make up Section 9, and they are in costume. Those characters include The Major (Scarlett Johansson), Ishikawa (Lasarus Ratuere), Togusa (Chin Han), Saito (Yutaka Izumihara), Borma (Tawanda Manyimo), Batou (Pilou Asbæk), and Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano). I’ve gotta say, all the characters look great. I wish we had some high res photos, but these will have to do for now.

Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, “Ghost in the Shell” follows a female special ops cyborg who leads an elite task force called Section 9 for Hanka Robotics. Section 9 is devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, led by The Laughing Man whose singular goal is towipe out Hanka’s advancements in cyber technology.

I know a lot of fans have expressed some disappointment in this movie,...

The upcoming live-action take on Ghost in the Shell has generated a fair bit of controversy among whitewashing accusations, but our first proper look at the movie's diverse cast has been revealed via Crunchyroll. Pictured below are The Major (Scarlett Johansson), Ishikawa (Lasarus Ratuere), Togusa (Chin Han), Saito (Yutaka Izumihara), Borma (Tawanda Manyimo), Batou (Pilou Asbæk), and Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano). With any luck, some official high quality versions of these will follow soon. Ghost in the Shell has been in the works for a while and follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology. Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman) is directing the movie, and it’s currently set to be released on March 31st,...

Stars: Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson, Scoot McNairy, Chan Kien, Tek Kong Lim, Tawanda Manyimo, David Field, Scott Perry, Ben Armer, Gillian Jones, Jamie Fallon | Written by David Michôd, Joel Edgerton | Directed by David Michôd

After a major global economic collapse, the Australian outback has become a lawless wasteland. The Rover follows one man’s journey as he traverses this dying landscape to recover his car which has been stolen. With the brother of one of the thieves held as hostage, he must avoid military patrols, bandits and other criminals if he is ever to see his vehicle again.

Ahh The Rover. It sounds like it could be such an interesting film. Reading that synopsis it conjures up images of a ‘Mad Max’ like tale, people fighting for survival, car chases, general chaos, maybe an explosion or two. No, that isn’t what you are going to get so crush that dream right now.

‘The Rover’ trailer HD: Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce in David Michôd’s Australian Outback-set thriller (photo: Robert Pattinson in ‘The Rover’) The Rover, David Michôd’s futuristic, Australian Outback-set thriller that will premiere at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival (Midnight Screenings), has a new trailer. Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson star in this dark tale about a middle-aged man, Eric (Pearce), hunting down the members of a gang who have stolen his last and most prized possession: his beat-up car. Pattinson, best known as the sparkling vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight film series, plays a (now) former member of the gang, Rey — left behind to die after he’s seriously injured in a fight. See The Rover trailer below. The youthful Rey, in fact, is unlike the other gang members. “If you don’t learn to fight," Eric warns him in a hard-to-understand mumble, "your death’s gonna come real soon.