Practical Magic is a movie that has grown on me over time which I enjoy more with each viewing. The connection between the characters and the themes of female empowerment along with family loyalty hits harder with age. It has been part of many girls’ night slumber parties with tequila, lime, and coconut required!
Buy Practical MagicSally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian “Gilly” (Nicole Kidman) move in with their aunts Frances (Stockard Channing) and Bridget “Jet” (Dianne Wiest) at a young age after the death of their parents. The Owens family have a history of persecution in their small town in Massachusetts due to the belief that they are witches. They are also considered cursed due to a spell cast by one of their ancestors to save herself from ever falling in love, which dooms any man that falls in love with them. It is believed that the curse was the reason that the girls’ parents died.
As they grow up, Sally is terrified of falling in love while Gilly can’t wait. Gilly elopes as a teenager and moves from relationship to relationship. Sally is content to stay in place until she suffers a tragedy, which results in her moving back in with the aunts along with her two daughters. Gilly ends up in an abusive relationship, forcing her to go back home too while creating danger not only for her but the entire Owens family and the town. The sisters must learn to embrace their powers and their past to survive.
Channing and Wiest have always been the highlight for me; every minute that they are on screen is a joy. Bullock and Kidman superbly portray the bond created between sisters and the challenges that that bond also brings. The two male leads carry their own. I have always been a huge fan of Adian Quinn and he is perfect as investigator trying to get to the bottom of what the Owens sisters are up to. Goran Visnjic is wonderfully terrifying as Gilly’s abusive boyfriend. A very young Evan Rachel Wood beautifully plays one of Sally’s daughters and it was clear she had a future in acting ahead of her even then. The other young actresses that play young Sally and Gilly along with Sally’s younger daughter are believable and sympathetic. Margo Martindale is worth mentioning as she shines in a small role as one of Sally’s friends.
The video has been given a new 2160p/HDR10/Dolby Vision encoded transfer displayed at an aspect ratio of 2.39:1. Earth tones are rich and primary colors vibrant. Blacks are inky and whites, as seen on many picket fences, are accurate, leading to a strong contrast. Fine texture details are apparent on various objects as is film grain.
The audio is available in Dolby Atmos and defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1. Dialogue is clear. Composer Alan Silvestri’s sweeping score swells in the surrounds. Ambient effects are strong across front channels yet slight in the others. Getting the most use during the exorcism.
The 4K UHD release only includes three special features. A commentary track by director Griffin Dunne, producer Denise Di Novi, composer Alan Silvestri, and Bullock. There are also two very short behind-the-scenes featurettes. “Casting the Spell” offers cast and crew interviews and “Making the Magic” highlights what it took to bring Alice Hoffman’s novel to life.
It is a testament to the stamina of Practical Magic and how it has grown in popularity since it was released in 1998 that the sequel, Practical Magic 2, is coming out on September 11. Now is your chance to revisit this delightful movie or watch it for the first time.
