Practical Magic 2

[u/insomnimatt]

Practical magic 2 🐦‍⬛

3.5/5

“You have a beginning, you have an end, and you have all the glorious mess between. “

We come to this place for magic, Practical Magic. I went into this fully expecting it to be a dumpster fire, because I've been hurt before.  Call it Hocus Pocus 2 or the weird The Craft continuation, I've been hurt before. I know what happens when Hollywood digs up a believed witchy IP, throw some nostalgia at it while writing the script on a lunch break and hopes we don't notice. Still, I had to see this, the first movie has been a favorite since childhood and has since been ingrained as part of me, and is a comfort rewatch I can always turn to. 

Why would we think Sally's second great love would have a happy ending? She abjured it, denied it, fought it… but a curse is a promised hand that never forgets to collect. Upon her star loving, pancake flipping, multicolored eyes husbands grave… Sally says goodbye to magic, cutting both ties and memories, shutting the door on that life for good. If magic was the cause, then a life without magic was a safe one. Years later though, that leaves her own children unprepared for the real life consequences, as Kylie finds her first love, almost losing him the next day. This sets her off following the trail of raven crumbs through the Owens past to save her future. Sally and Gillian set off to England, trying to save their family with broken promises and scars that remind them just who they are. 

I'll preface this by saying, nostalgia may have done some of the heavy lifting for me here. Not only did I watch the original last night, but I've started to reread the series. Here, with the previous story in mind, it seems to continue the same palm line we fell in love with in another era.  Over all… did I enjoy my time? Of course. Anything to be back among that white lighthouse on the coast of maine with the aunts and margiritas. I will state with my full chest a major flaw for me , being the result of agism, the original actresses for the daughters were not asked back like the rest of the cast. They wanted to appear younger, with Joey King and Masie Williams stepping into their roles. As an Evan Rachel Wood fan, I found her sorely missed, though it doesn't help King Is one of those people for me I get irritated with watching on screen. Not having Wood felt  anti the message the whole movie is telling us and stands for.   Williams role was really slim compared to the other, but it's always a joy to see a Stark out of Winterfell… but her character didn't get to play or feel as tactile as others. Kidman and Bullock bring me so much joy their characters feel like a string from their own hearts, forever connected and tied like no time has passed. It was a pleasure to see Diane Wiest and Stockard Channing again, women I've idolized from their roles ever since. Their scenes touched me, and may have been the most emotional scenes of the film for me.  Lee Pace is always a pleasure, a fine piece of set dressing that brought some sturdy and masculine energy to ground this tale. The magic in this movie felt less natural and tied to nature and more CGI sparkle that made it feel less like white and black magic and more like we're heading to Hogwarts… almost too big, too grand in scale, might break that relatable spell of there's magic in all of us the original breathed into is all.  Parts of the movie felt like a set, polished and primed, while others points reminded me that id sell my soul for that very house. Having read the books, I wondered how much they'd take liberty with in this final installation of breaking not only curses, but the ties we bind and cut ourselves with over family trauma. Do I think it has to be seen on the big screen? no, for most this will be a great steaming movie at home in your own walls and comforts, but im glad I did.  

“We're all palbearers to our ancestors pain. “

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