Practical Magic 2 Review: Cozy Sequel or Nostalgia Trap?

Our Practical Magic 2 review is here, and yes, the Owens curse is back (poor Gary). Meaghan and Shirin went in braced for a nostalgia cash-in and came out pleasantly surprised. Practical Magic 2 adapts Alice Hoffman's The Book of Magic, the direct sequel to Practical Magic, with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman back as Sally and Gillian Owens and Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing returning as Aunt Jet and Aunt Franny. This time the story leaves the Massachusetts house behind. Kylie (Joey King) falls hard for Gideon, the death beetle starts chirping, and the whole family ends up in the English village of Thornfield chasing the roots of the curse, with Lee Pace along for the ride as Ian. Practical Magic 2 and Alice Hoffman's The Book of Magic Practical Magic 2 adapts The Book of Magic, Alice Hoffman's direct sequel to Practical Magic, after the prequel Magic Lessons: The Book of Magic Why this sequel feels book-based: a real beginning, middle, and end instead of a nostalgia patchwork Meaghan's yearly fall rewatch of Practical Magic (1998) and Shirin's Sabrina the Teenage Witch era The Owens Curse Returns: Plot and Ending (Spoilers) Gary is gone, and Sally's forgetting spell keeps Kylie and Antonia in the dark about their magic The death beetle chirps for Aunt Jet, who leaves behind the Book of Raven and a way to break the curse Gideon's coma sends Kylie, Sally, and Gillian to Thornfield, England, where the villain twist lands Aunt Franny's sacrifice and how Practical Magic 2 finally breaks the Owens curse The Cast: The Original Coven and New Faces Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing reunite, and the chemistry holds Lee Pace as Ian, from Twilight to Bodies Bodies Bodies Joey King and Maisie Williams as Kylie and Antonia, and why their bond barely registers Botox, Beauty Standards and Frozen Faces on Screen The online discourse around expressive performances in Practical Magic 2 Olivia Wilde's comments on casting actors whose faces still move Why Dianne Wiest's performance stands out What Worked and What Didn't Worked: the aesthetic, Sally's costumes, the aunts, and a bigger world beyond the Owens house Didn't: forced awkward humor, a thin sister relationship, and not nearly enough midnight margaritas Split critic and audience scores, and whether a third film happens with no book left to adapt Coming Up on Fully-Booked Our interview with Judy Molland on The Making of a Witch Fall and winter adaptations on our radar: Verity, Sunrise on the Reaping, Klara and the Sun, and Remain. Subscribe on your favorite platform! Spotify Apple Podcast Amazon Music iHeart Radio Podchaser Youtube Don't forget to follow us on socials too! Instagram Threads TikTok BlueSky Facebook