Practical Magic 2

Practical Magic 2 brings back Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as Sally and Gillian Owens. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing, who played the sisters' aunts in the 1998 film, are also in the cast, along with Joey King, Maisie Williams and Lee Pace. Susanne Bier directs, adapting Alice Hoffman's novel The Book of Magic as a sequel for Warner Bros. The original was a favorite for many teens and adults, so plenty of families will assume the sequel is a safe pick for younger kids. The published parent guides say to slow down. The tone is warmer and funnier than the premise sounds, and Common Sense Media says things never get too intense. But the story is built around a curse that kills the men the Owens women love, so death and grief run through it. There are several deaths, two of them emotional; a character is hit by a car, bloodied, and left in a coma for much of the film; and a flashback shows a woman burned at the stake while her young daughter watches. A villain threatens to kill the family and knocks a woman unconscious by slamming her head into a wall, and the climax is a magical battle. Plugged In also flags blood rituals with cut fingers and palms, a cursed spellbook and frequent occult imagery. Common Sense recommends ages 13 and up, while Plugged In rates the content heavy for kids and tweens and does not recommend it for families. Language is limited, with one use of the f-word and some milder insults, although Plugged In counts nearly two dozen misuses of God's name. Romance includes kissing and implied sex, plus steady innuendo, and a naked, tattooed man is paralyzed by a spell with the camera avoiding his private parts. Two characters are drugged. Adults drink frequently, including margaritas, wine, gin and bourbon, and one sister is visibly drunk several times. What teens can take from it is a story about sisterhood, mothers and daughters, honesty, and the courage to sacrifice for people you love. Critics say it does not fully recapture the charm of the original, so it will land best with fans of the first movie and teens who like witchy fantasy. As of the most recent coverage we found, no home-streaming date had been announced, so theaters are the only confirmed option. This guide is compiled from the MPA rating and published parent guides, not a FamScoop screening.