With Practical Magic 2 coming to theaters next month, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Video brought the 1998 original back on 4K UHD. I hadn’t seen it since then so it was interesting to revisit. Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) are sister witches, but with a family curse that their loves would die.
The death curse is almost like Final Destination. Is it going to be the bikes? No, it’s the truck. So Gillian doesn’t fall hard, but needs her sister’s help dealing with the abusive man she encounters. We’ll see where the new movie finds them now, but their original film runs the gamut from romantic comedy to dark supernatural and empowering female unity.
On 4K, the bright sunny coastal town and a bit with Gillian on a road trip showcase the Hollywood filter on idealized Americana life. Dark nights and the blood moon provide the 4K darkness with more shadows in Gillian’s attic bedroom and the candlelit spell casting.
The bonus features from the original DVD are included. This was back when every new release had behind-the-scenes and commentary. You get to see Bullock goofing off between takes, and it’s nice to see film magazines on the cameras.
Director Griffin Dunne covers the most on the commentary track, discussing visual effects, development, and the tone of the film. But, composer Alan Silvestri chimes in on a few key themes, and Bullock speaks with producer Denise DiNovi.