Sure! Based on the transcript from Mindframes Episode 90 β "Death of a Unicorn", here are listener-friendly notes:
Β Episode 90:
Death of a Unicorn A
Mindframes Film Conversation
Guests:
- ποΈ Tarek Fayoumi (Chicago film critic)
π¬ Basic Info
- Film: Death of a Unicorn
- Director: Alex Scharfman (Directorial debut)
- Genre: Black comedy with horror elements
- Cast Highlights:
- Paul Rudd as Elliot
- Jenna Ortega as Ridley
- Richard E. Grant as Odell
- Will Poulter as Shepard
- TΓ©a Leoni as Odell's wife
- Anthony Carrigan as Griff
- Jessica Hynes as Shaw
- Premiere: South by Southwest (SXSW)
- Wide Release: This weekend (as of episode release)
π Key Themes
- Satire of the ultra-wealthy
- Performative altruism
- Corporate greed (nods to pharma industry)
- Unicorns as metaphors β not for children!
- Mashup of genre: horror + black comedy
- Comparisons to Companion, Triangle of Sadness, and Black Sheep
β±οΈ Timestamps & Highlights Timestamp Topic
00:00 Episode intro + guest Tarek Fayoumi joins
00:50 Overview of
Death of a Unicorn & director Alex Scharfman
02:50 Early reactions and quirky tone of the film
05:30 Non-spoiler plot summary β unicorns, gore, and satire
06:57 Expanded plot: Paul Rudd's character hits a unicorn en route to a CEO's wilderness estate
08:00 Gore, vengeance, and absurdist turns
09:00 Neil deGrasse Tyson jokes and tonal weirdness
09:20 Cast discussion begins β Paul Rudd staying in his comedic "box"
11:00 Jenna Ortega's horror film streak & flexibility as an actress
13:00 Will Poulter as a "punchable privileged" character with great comic timing
19:00 TΓ©a Leoni praised for subtlety and satire β comparisons to Toni Collette
21:00 Recognition of supporting cast: Anthony Carrigan, Jessica Hynes, and Katherine Erbe
26:00 Commentary on satire and class critique
27:00 Cinematography discussion β possible nature doc inspiration
28:30 Importance of unicorn visuals β practical + CGI blend
32:00 Film was shot in Slovenia, animation outsourced β budget-conscious production
36:00 Cost-saving decisions and strategic casting choices
38:00 Discussion on shifting movie release windows and streaming vs theatrical landscape
39:30 Joke about popcorn buckets and box office trends
42:00 Reviews begin β Mike praises the genre blend and Will Poulter's performance
43:30 Dave praises the gore, creature effects, and genre fusion
46:00 Final verdict: 3 out of 4 unicorn horns from both hosts
47:00 Not for kids β don't let the unicorns fool you!
48:00 Movie lacks a love story β passes a rare "MacDell test"
Let me know if you'd like this formatted for a website or podcast show notes page β I can do that too!