Practical Magic (1998)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Griffin Dunne

Writers (WGA):

Alice Hoffman (based on the novel by)
Robin Swicord (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

There's a little witch in every woman.

Plot:

Sally and Gillian Owens have always known they were different. Raised by their aunts after their parents' death...

Plot Keywords:

Sister | Magic | Curse | Love | Family Curse

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. July 10	2:40 AM	TBS
Fri. July 10	10:00 AM	TBS

Cast

Sandra Bullock	...	Sally Owens
Nicole Kidman	...	Gillian Owens
Stockard Channing	...	Aunt Frances 'Fran' Owens
Dianne Wiest	...	Aunt Bridget 'Jet' Owens
Goran Visnjic	...	Jimmy Angelov
Aidan Quinn	...	Officer Gary Hallet
Evan Rachel Wood	...	Kylie Owens
Alexandra Artrip	...	Antonia Owens
Mark Feuerstein	...	Michael
Caprice Benedetti	...	Maria Owens
Annabella Price	...	Lovelorn Lady
Camilla Belle	...	Sally Owens @ Age 11
Lora Anne Criswell	...	Gillian Owens @ Age 10
Margo Martindale	...	Linda Bennett
Chloe Webb	...	Carla

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence, intense thematic elements and sensuality.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:10 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Canada:PA (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (f) (w) | Hungary:14 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Australia:PG (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Coupeville, Whidbey Island, Washington, USA

Company:

DiNovi Pictures

Trivia:

At the end of the movie, all of the witches in black robes are wearing red-and-white striped stockings, similar to those worn by the Wicked Witch of the East in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Goofs:

Continuity: When the women gather for the circle, in the first shot Sally is standing next to Aunt Jet. In the next and subsequent shots Sally is standing next to Aunt Frances.

Quotes:

Sally Owens: You should know she has the worst taste in men.
Sally Owens: [to Gillian] Well, you do.

Movie Connections:

References "The Twilight Zone" (1959)

Soundtrack:

Nowhere and Everywhere

Loved it

Normally I don't care for chick flicks, but I can't seem to stop watching this one over and over again. I was surprised that so many others didn't care for it. I just loved the sets, the costumes, the women and their relationships, the real magic in the film, the special effects, the child actresses. This was stuff that women could relate to better than men. Aidan Quinn was the only boring part of the movie. I wished they'd chosen an actor who was more into the role. He seemed bored and made his part in the film more boring. (Also, he mumbles. Someone should give him elocution lessons.)

This movie wasn't meant to be heavy. It was meant to be light, fun fluff, and that it is. The characters weren't meant to be deep, but I felt the relationship between the two sisters was deeper and well performed by two skilled actresses. In spite of the fluffiness of it, I enjoyed the two scenes in which we got to sit and relax to the sound of Stevie Nicks' "Crystal." So what if cars weren't crashing and guns weren't shooting. They weren't supposed to be. I felt the camaraderie of the moment as the two sisters and their aunts got drunk on "midnight margaritas" while dancing to Harry Nilsson's "Lime in the Coconut." It was just plain light fun. Also, women can enjoy the vicarious satisfaction of watching these women destroy the evil, bullying man who tries to destroy them.

The end of the film was rather Disney-kiddie-flick-like. Another ending might have worked better, but it was tolerable because it reminded the audience that the film was all in fun, and not to be taken seriously.

I usually prefer deeper films, but I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of fluff. Sure it was silly and campy, but it was fun. A film doesn't have to take itself seriously to be fun. Bullock, Kidman, Channing, and Wiest are beautiful, charming and wonderful to watch in this flick, and I love watching the four of them over and over again.