90’s Sci-Fi Fantasy Favorite Film Casting A Spell On Max

Practical Magic follows two sisters – Sally (Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Kidman) – who have been raised by their aunts since they were children. The next two names in a long line of witches, their great power also comes with a hefty price as a curse has been placed upon all the women of the family that sees any man who falls in love with an Owens woman meet an untimely demise.

After Gillian ends up in an abusive situation with her boyfriend, the two sisters cast a spell and soon find themselves in over their heads with the darker side of magic.

The ‘90s was a magical (no pun intended) time for fans of cinema, as iconic hits like Dazed and Confused, Clueless, and The Sixth Sense found their way into theaters across the country. One of the best parts about the decade was the ensembles that directors would pack into their projects, often featuring a stacked call sheet filled with a lineup of impressive names from the current generation and the ones before it – giving a very “something for everyone” vibe. Such can certainly be said for Practical Magic.

Not only does the bewitching film star Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman – two of the decade’s biggest queens – but it also featured performances from the iconic Stockard Channing (Grease, Where the Heart Is) and Dianne Wiest (Edward Scissorhands, Bullets Over Broadway). 

Although it’s considered a classic now, the movie majorly underperformed at the box office, earning only $68.3 million against its $75 million budget. Even now, Practical Magic sits on Rotten Tomatoes with an unfair critics’ rating of 25% while at least audiences have a bit more sense, hitting it with 75 percent. But, like a fine wine, the movie has spent the last nearly three decades aging and waiting until the generation who first fell in love with it would have their voices heard in Hollywood.

Early in the summer, it was revealed that a Practical Magic sequel was on the way with even better news coming that Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman would be reprising their roles. Just like the original, the follow-up will serve as an adaptation of one of author Alice Hoffman’s books, this time 2021’s The Book of Magic. Returning to pen the screenplay after doing so for the first film, Akiva Goldsman serves as the project’s scribe, while a director has yet to be announced. 

While we wait for more news on the sequel, those looking to toss down a few midnight margaritas and catch one of the season’s lighter pieces of fare can head over to Max where Practical Magic is now streaming.