1-Week Rental | Behind the Scenes Film Analysis

206. Practical Magic (1998) | Diving Deep Into The Sandra Bullock/Nicole Kidman Cult Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Practical Magic | Film Analysis

September 11
1h 55m

Episode Description

Laci and Matt head to Witch Country to hang with the Owens Sisters, Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gilly (Nicole Kidman). Together they learn about the power of blood magic, sisterhood, and body oil.

Practical Magic was a critical and commercial disappointment when it came out in 1998, but it's a beloved classic at this point with a sequel out in movie theaters today! (What remarkably good timing.) Were the late-'90s critics correct? Does this movie jump awkwardly from family movie to dark horror to rom-com to domestic drama, all with a cloying Alan Silvestri score that sounds like leftovers from Richie Rich? Am I (Matt) tipping my hand about how I feel about this movie? Folks, Laci and I are in huge disagreement about Practical Magic, so you gotta listen to hear all about it! 

Watch this Practical Magic podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6jBPkskTINo 

Next week (Sept. 18, 2026): Clue (1985)! 

 

Time stamps:

  • 00:09:15 — History segment: Alice Hoffman writes the Practical Magic novel; director Griffin Dunne hires a witch consultant; reception and legacy of Practical Magic; sequel
  • 00:45:22 — Movie discussion + Practical Magic film analysis
  • 01:52:40 — Star ratings + final review of Practical Magic

PRACTICAL MAGIC (1998) was directed by Griffin Dunne. Starring Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Aidan Quinn, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Goran Visnjic, Evan Rachel Wood, Alexandra Artrip, Margo Martindale, and Chloe Webb as Carla, a body oil sales technician.

 

Sources:

  • "How Practical Magic Pissed Off a Real-Life Witch" by Savannah Walsh | Vanity Fair (2023) - https://bit.ly/4gJamlx 
  • "The Surprisingly Easy Way the Story of 'Practical Magic' Came to Author Alice Hoffman" by Eden Gordon | Mental Floss (2026) - https://bit.ly/4yqsbf9
  • "Practical Magic Got Cursed by an Actual Witch. Is That Why It Bombed?" by Lila Shapiro | Vulture (2017) - https://bit.ly/46yJU8t
  • "Stockard Channing Answers Every Question We Have About Practical Magic" by Jessica Goldstein | Vulture (2020) - https://bit.ly/3UxAasl
  • "Bewitched: Practical Magic Author Alice Hoffman on the Hotly Anticipated Sequel and Why All Women Should Have a Coven" by Savannah Walsh | Vulture (2026) - https://bit.ly/4xA6zMJ  
  • "Evan Rachel Wood shades Practical Magic 2 cast for not reaching out amid recasting, praises 'sweetheart' Joey King" by Leigh Blickley | Entertainment Weekly (2026) - https://bit.ly/4ywLIe4 
  • "Practical Magic's Lost Director's Cut Was Stunningly Beautiful, Says Writer" by Haleigh Foutch | Collider (2020) - https://bit.ly/3VksIAU 
  • "Thank the '90s for Practical Magic" by David Sims | The Atlantic (2018) - https://bit.ly/4dvbnvl 

 

Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/09/practical-magic/#transcript 

Artwork by Laci Roth.  

 

Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts:

 

Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).

 

Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode:

 

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