Latest / Deep Trope Fantasy & Romance Podcast / Practical Magic 2 Movie Reaction: What We Loved, Book Differences, and Why We Need an HBO Series
Transcript
- Rachel: Welcome to Deep Trope, where we go deep into fantasy and romance books. One trope at a time. I'm Rachel, romantasy theorist. Kate: And I'm Kate, lover of all things dark and spicy. Rachel: And today we are reviewing Practical Magic 2, The Movie. Leading up to the movie release, we completed a mini deep dive of each of the four books in the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman, where we read and discussed each book in release order. Kate: And now that we've completed the book series and watched the new movie, we're here to share our unfiltered thoughts on the new movie and how it differs from the book. This episode will be full of spoilers for the movie and some spoilers for the book series. So consider this your warning. We are also two unfiltered millennials, so maybe toss on your headphones because this episode is at least PG-13. Rachel: All right, pour yourself a midnight margarita. I have an apple cider mule in a witchy cup. Kate: I do not have a margarita, but I do have a a practical magic two collectible popcorn bucket. Courtesy of Mama Rachel: That is in the shape of a margarita. Kate: Shuman. Rachel: That is the shape of a margarita, a massive margarita. That's fantastic. Kate: Yes it is. Yes it is. And it even came with a little a little black cat charm. Rachel: that's great. That's great. So you know that it's your cup and nobody else's when you go to the party Kate: So yes. Rachel: full of people y drinking from those. Kate: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I assume I assume everybody at the party will have one of these. So it'll be good to keep mine apart from the rest. Rachel: So for anybody who has not seen these collectible items and is just listening to the episode, this is about I would say twice the size of Kate's head. This Kate: And I have a I have a fairly large head, so you know, that's saying something. Rachel: I mean, I would say it's twice the size of any head. I mean, I'm I I'm I'm excited that you have that. I'm bummed that you don't have margarita in it and you have popcorn instead, but Kate: Rachel, we are recording this at eleven AM. I need Rachel: It's a Saturday. Kate: You know, fair. Fair enough. I could yeah. But you know, I still think that this much of margarita might kill me. so Rachel: Maybe. But you can't you can't drink midnight margaritas all day if you don't start in the morning, Kate. Kate: Yeah. True enough. Rachel: Well, hopefully this was enough time for you to make your own margarita or maybe cut a slice of chocolate tipsy cake. So let's dive in. And I think we should start with our initial reactions. So, Kate, my initial thoughts, I loved it, but this should have been an HBO mini series. The original movie worked great as a standalone, and honestly, the first book kind of did as well. But to expand the story and stay true to the book, which I think generally the movie did try to do, which I really liked. They didn't like go off on a tangent and create a whole nother story. but they had to cut a lot. It was literally impossible with one movie. So they TLDR'd so much that they ended up cutting a lot of my favorite storylines. And that was a bummer for me. But all in all, I enjoyed the movie. And if I had not read the books, I think I would have enjoyed the movie just as much. Probably more, honestly. Kate: Yeah, I know. Cause I was, you know, we're we are looking for the similarities, we're looking for the differences. And yeah, that's something that, you know, just stuck with me the entire time. So I wasn't able to enjoy it kind of pure like I was Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: the when I saw the first movie, you know, before I even realized that it was a book series. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: but I also I agree, I would love An HBO series that covers all four books. Because as we've said Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: many times, the two prequel books were two of our favorites of the series. Rachel: Yes. Kate: You know, like I would love to get all of that context. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: because, like you said, a lot of the things that they ended up cutting were because there just wasn't time to build that context that you got from those other books to like have the background on these characters. So They, you know, just took them out of the story, which I understand, but again, we love them. So we would Rachel: Right. Kate: we would love to see them it all played out. So, you know, this is a pitch to HBO, please pick up this series and do a wonderful job. Like I know that you can. But in general, I also really did enjoy it. I don't think that there were any differences that truly like enraged me, you know, like there were ones that Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: I was just Like I said, disappointed that they didn't have time to include, but nothing that I was like, why the fuck did you do that? Rachel: Right. Kate: For the most part. So so that was I was happy about that. And I just love Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman together so much. I think I would enjoy anything that they're in together. Their dynamic is Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: just like really funny. And it makes you really believe that they are sisters and that they have this history between them. So Yeah, I think that that's that was really fun to see again and just see them together. and the newcomer, Lee Pace, who plays Ian. Rachel: Ugh yes. Kate: I loved him as Ian. Like and the sexual Rachel: Agree. Kate: tension between him and Sandra Bullock, it was it was good. Like he did he did a great job. So Rachel: It was really good. Yeah. Kate: just the three gorgeous people I love seeing on screen. Rachel: totally agree. I mean this was spicier than the first book or the first movie for sure. And I mean it wasn't true spice but like the tension and you know Kate: The tension. Rachel: the nude scene. Kate: Uh-huh, uhhuh. I love that they still got that, like I mean, it was PG-13, you know, so we didn't get the full scene that we got in the book necessarily, but the fact that they alluded to it and he still got a shout out to his impressive dong is great. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Loved it. Loved it. And I liked that they had Nicole Kidman in that scene. Because in the book, it was Aunt Franny that was there. Well, I guess like a lot of people were there, but especially Aunt Franny Kate: Yeah. Rachel: kind of made jokes. But Nicole Kidman, Gillian, was like phenomenal in that scene and really Kate: Yes. Rachel: added like a lot of humor. More humor. Kate: Mm. Yeah. Yeah, it was it was good. I'm glad that we still got that. Rachel: Yeah. All right. So while we're on the topics of things we loved, we've prepared a list. So to Kate: Ha ha. Rachel: start out, I adored the fashion. Like, just like the Kate: Mm. Rachel: original movie, they nailed it with every single outfit. And I'm particularly obsessed with Sally's ring bracelet chain thing that she wears at the very Kate: Yes. Rachel: end. I need it. I need it. Kate: Yeah. That was that was a very cool piece. And I really loved Jet's purple dress from her party. Like the long kind of like cape like sleeves with the little appliques. It was beautiful. It was so sweet. And and Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: we only saw it for a short time, but I really loved that dress. Rachel: Yeah, and like Jet's whole final scene, final like, you know, the opening of the movie was so heartbreaking. But I really liked how they like had her go out in style with the party. Like I liked that adjustment. Kate: Yes. Rachel: Like they still had the party, but the party was sort of like a celebration of her life, and that's when she departed, you know? Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: Yeah. And so she got to she got to look look amazing in her favorite outfit. Ha ha ha. Kate: Yeah, that was very sweet. Rachel: Kylie's outfit, also perfection. Here, they did stay true to the book in that she wore the same outfit basically the entire movie. And, you know, in the book they mentioned that she doesn't really change after her flight from England. Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: And while I personally hate that because I like pack something in my carry-on to change at the airport. Like I cannot Kate: Yeah. Rachel: fly across the Atlantic and not change my outfit. Kate: I mean, Rachel, the girl was devastated. Her hygiene Rachel: I know. Kate: was not top of mind, okay? Rachel: it just gave me the heebie jeebies. But I guess when you have that cute of an outfit, y you just rock it for an entire week. Kate: It was that dress was so cute. Yeah. Rachel: Yeah. And I also liked that a lot of the outfits, even though they were very like modern and today, they had that sort of like 90s flair too. So that was like also Kate: Yes. Rachel: a little bit of a reference to the original movie. Kate: Yeah, well because it's been so long since the original movie that literally nineties fashion is back again. Rachel: I know. Kate: Ha ha ha. I mean it's been almost thirty years since the original. Rachel: No, stop, stop, stop, stop. and then the settings. I mean, the setting was one of the key elements that I think a lot of people loved from the first movie, right? The the house, the Owens house. And it just looked stunning as expected in this movie as well. But I also loved the Owens library and literally everything about England. The train, the pub, even Bad Tom's house, I liked. Kate: Yeah. I mean I l like Gillian at one point when they got to the inn in Thornfield was even like, it's so cute and I was like, I was thinking the same thing. This is adorable. That that whole town of Thornfield was picturesque. Rachel: Yes. Yeah. And then the sisterhood. So there's just a huge focus on the Owens family coven and the relationships between the sisters, which is a key element in the books as well. So I really like that they carried that over. Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: And then on the dark side, I loved that they burn bad Tom at the stake. Even if they didn't call him Bad Tom, which I think was a big miss, they should have called him Bad Tom. It would have explained his backstory in literally just the name. But in the book I think he sort of just ran away. So I like that Karma found him. Yes. Kate: Like they banished him with that spell or something and he yeah. Rachel: Yeah. So I like I like that Karma found him. I did. Kate: I agree. And yeah, I feel like like as much as movies tend to like spoon feed the audience these days, I feel like this was an opportunity, like just tell us, just say bad Tom, because I feel like his backstory and his kind of motivations were a little unclear in the movie. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: like it was just kind of hard to explain it. So yeah, I feel like this is an instance where I'm like, Yeah, go ahead and spoon feed me bad Tom because just tell me that this is a bad Rachel: Right. Kate: dude. Rachel: I mean they spoon fed us a lot. Like they are just Kate: I know. Rachel: like word vomiting the whole like family background, what the curse is, like there's Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: so much that they spoon fed us that would have been just an easy way to explain why he is the way he is, you know. Kate: Right. I know. I know. But for I wonder like for people that didn't read the book, would they be like, Really? His name is Bad Tom? Ha ha ha. Rachel: Maybe. Kate: But anyway. So a few things that I really liked. like I said before, I love the dynamic between Sally and Gillian. They have such a beautiful relationship that's like playful and loving, but also still complicated. And I think that they captured the depth of their relationship really well on screen. And I mean, all credit to Sandra Bullock and and Nicole Kidman, they really help with that dynamic. but like even without having all of the additional context and background that you get from the books, I feel like they still did a good job of of showing the nature of their relationship. And I know that people complain all the time about like the Botox aspect in a lot of movies these days, but especially these ones where you have the direct comparison of like Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: these people from the nineties versus now. But I don't know. I think it kind of works for them, like They're still so gorgeous. Like I didn't mind Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: it. Rachel: Yeah. And you can tell that they do like Pilates because their arms are so ripped. I kept thinking the whole movie. I was like, my god, their arms. Kate: I know. I know. I know. I mean they're just they're gorgeous women and I I don't mind the Botox. I still I love them so much and I I didn't think that it hurt them, but that's me. also, like I said, loved Lee Pace as Ian. What a gorgeous man. and just a really nice embodiment of that character. I do wish that we got more of him in the movie, because like he just was so good in that role. but I did like appreciate that we still got the opening scene with him. And that was a really important kind of introduction to the character. but because it was PG-13, you know, we did have a slightly tamer version of that scene. I I guess they did the best that they could within the shackles of a PG-13 rating, but I could have used like maybe a vague outline in like a pair of gray sweatpants or something. I don't know. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I mean again, HBO. Kate: I know HBO, come on. Throw us a bone. Rachel: Please we know you love to show Dong. Kate: Lastly, I loved the use of Landslide for Jet's final scene. using this song almost felt like a cameo from a real witch, because of course we know that Stevie Nicks is a witch. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Kate: and I just thought that it was a perfect perfect song for for Jet and just to kinda bring in some of those very wholesome witchy vibes that I feel like Stevie Nicks always always brings to the table. Rachel: I agree. I agree. I mean, I'm always here for Stevie Nicks. Anything Fleetwood Kate: Always. Rachel: Mac, like, yes, please. And we did have some of that on the original soundtrack too. So that was a nice tie in. Kate: Yes. Yeah. Rachel: Some of the differences from the book. Because there are differences. Like we said, there was a lot of TLDR, so there's a lot cut from it. Kate: There's qu there's quite a few, let's be honest. Rachel: so some of the some of them that stood out to us. Franny does not travel to England. She sacrifices herself in Leech Lake, but I don't know that they actually name it. So that's a little bit of like a wink to book readers, I think, that that's Leech Lake. That being said, of course, there was no reference to Owens woman floating or the leech lake creature, which you know I'm obsessed with the leech lake creature. I didn't expect to see it. Kate: I know. It's your own personal lochness. Rachel: Yes, I didn't expect to see it, but I w you know, would have been fun. Kate: Yeah. Yeah, I feel like like they didn't get to explore the the lore of Leech Lake and like why it's so Rachel: Yeah. Kate: significant. Rachel: Yeah. Or like why it's so significant that Franny died by drowning. Yeah. Kate: Right, right. Rachel: Yeah. They completely eliminated all queer storylines. And that was very unfortunate. So Vincent's not in the movie at all. Antonia, we really don't know if she's gay or not, but Ariel isn't in the movie. And for both of these, you can make the argument that it was necessary in order to shorten the story. And for Vincent, I agree with that because there's just so much backstory there, it would have been difficult to explain. But I do think they could have sent Franny to England and then had Antonia stay, even if they wanted to eliminate the pregnancy because that was like a lot to explain. Even if they want to Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: eliminate the pregnancy and say that she had to stay because she's doing her rounds or whatever, she then could have met Ariel. And it's Two thousand six, like yeah, no it's not. It's two thousand twenty-six. Kate: Gosh, I wish we could go back to two thousand six. Rachel: It's two thousand twenty six and I just think that cutting all of the gay storylines was a bad move. Kate: I agree. also don't forget they cut Scott and Joel too. Rachel: Well, I mean, yes, the which is a bummer, but that one I can understand more just because they're like such periphery characters, Kate: I mean that was that was a very much side thing. Rachel: yeah. Kate: Yeah. But just to to compound on the fact that like they there were a lot Rachel: To add to the list, yeah. Kate: of queer characters in this book and none of them Rachel: Yes. Kate: showed up on screen. And Rachel: Yes, Kate: like you said, I understand not including Vincent. it would have been really h like all of his backstory was from the rules of magic that we just don't have any Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: of that. It would have been really hard to build his character and be like, wait. The aunts have a brother, what the fuck? Like it Rachel: Yeah. Kate: just it would have been hard. So I get that. But I just don't think that there was any reason to not give Antonia her girlfriend, you know? Like, even if they didn't give it all of the context that it had in the book, like how hard would it have been to just have her have like just meet somebody, you know? I don't know. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: And like they did almost hint at it. in the wedding scene when she kind of like made eyes at that girl with the short cropped bleach blonde hair. but it was so subtle. Like I I was looking for it, you know? So I I could have even like been imagining it because I was just like waiting for Ariel to show up at some point. But I don't I don't even know if that was a thing. I'm that's just the only thing that Rachel: I mean Kate: I'm like latching onto. Rachel: I mean it was so subtle I didn't notice it at all. At all. So yeah. Kate: I think in in general, I think they did Antonia dirty in the movie. She just kind of ends up like sitting in the hospital looking confused as Franny does magic instead of like actively working to help from afar like she does in the book. She doesn't really play any crucial part in the movie, really. Rachel: Yeah, I mean I think it was a very big waste of Arya Stark, which I know you're not a Game of Thrones fan, but she is a badass. Yeah. Kate: Agreed. No, I I I know Maisie Williams, yeah. yeah, I I just think that they like she just had no real significance in the movie, I felt like, and I think that they could have done more with that character and just given her more to do, honestly. Like she just Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: I I j there's just so many scenes of her just like looking confused around Franny. Rachel: Right, right. And which I mean it was kind of funny like watching her as Franny's like throwing salt everywhere, but Yeah. Yeah, yeah. We don't see like the strong Kate: Yeah, that was funny, but then it just kept continuing and she just keeps being bewildered by things. I don't know. But other character Rachel: like the strong intelligent woman that she is in the book. Yeah. Kate: Right. Right. And she did like she was like discovering things about their history. She was, you know, like actively working to help find Kylie. And I don't know, she just was like Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: just a more active r player in the story. Rachel: She I mean, Kate: some other characters that were cut besides Vincent and Ariel, Reverend Willard, Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: Rafael, Daisy the Dog, Agnes Durant, David Ward, Ben Frye, and Scott and Joel. And I understand most of these since they would really require the context from the other books to make sense, to include. But the one that I was disappointed with besides Ariel was Ben Frye. Because I did want Gillian to get her like happy ever after and embrace love in this story, like she did in the book. Like she just deserves it after all the shit that she went through. Rachel: Yeah, Gillian in the movie was very much like what I described when we were talking about how we would handle the curse, where she's like, love just isn't worth it for us. So she's just c Yeah, what Kate: Yes. Yeah, we're we're just not meant for it. Rachel: would a female version of a womanizer be with men? A manizer? a man-eater. She's like a man-eater. Kate: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And and it just feels like like she lost a little bit of the growth that she got in the Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: ser in the book series. You know, she's still very similar to her character in the original. obviously she has grown. She's, you know, got the stability of her family unit here. and I think that really helps her. But Rachel: Yeah. Kate: the fact that she didn't find her love was a little sad. Rachel: I think she lacked a lot of depth. She was like our comedic relief mostly. Kate: Yeah. Rachel: Which I didn't mind. I like Nicole Kidman. She could literally play any character and I will like her. But again, this Kate: Yeah, she did it she did a great job with it. Yeah. Agreed. But Rachel: goes back to an HBO miniseries would have been amazing because then we could have had t the time to like build out that story Kate: Yes. Rachel: for her. Kate: Yes. Rachel: And as we kind of touched on, Antonia is not pregnant. So again, this is one choice I do understand because I kind of think that It was a little bit of a plot device in the book to move her away from her relationship with Scott so they could tell her story with Ariel. And I think it was like uses a plot device to like keep her home. I think there were reasons for it. so I understand why Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: they didn't have it in the movie, but again, I didn't love it. Anything that got cut from the book, I didn't love. Kylie and Gideon are the ones that get married at the end of the movie instead of Sally and Ian. And I really hated this. That's probably the thing that I hated the most. They are in college. They are in college. I believe they are sophomores in college. Even if, let's say, in the movie they aged them up so they were seniors, and this was the year after they graduated that they got married. That's too young for me. And I know the young marriages work out for some people. Like you, Kate, I know you got married pretty young and it's going great, but. I just don't see it I don't like seeing it glorified in the media because it gives me MAGA vibes, honestly. Kate: Yeah, no, I d I definitely feel that. I I do think I was older than her though, even if they aged her up. I think I was 23. But I yeah. But like I Rachel: Yeah, see that's fine. Kate: yeah, I to your point, I don't even think that they were out of college yet. because I I don't know. It just it felt like there was no reason that they needed to get married. And I feel like they they Developed the relationship between Ian and Sally enough in the movie. Like obviously Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: they didn't get that much time. I would have loved more Ian time on screen, but they still developed that enough that I feel like it wouldn't have been a stretch for them to have still been the ones to get married at the end. You know? Like in the book, Sally. Rachel: Right. Yeah, I agree. I think theirs was more developed than Gideon and and Kylie's, honestly. Kate: Yeah, because it it was still a more mature love, like you're you're Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: saying, like they have been around the block, they kind of know what they want, what they need. It just feels like that kind of a decision to get married makes more sense for an older couple. But Rachel: Yeah. Kate: I also think that We just didn't end up seeing as much growth from Sally in the movie. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: and that was kind of a part of it. Like in the book, her getting married and fully embracing love again after so many years of being like depressed and alone was a really big moment that I missed seeing. Rachel: Mm-hmm. That's a really good point. That's a really good point. It like took away from the storytelling. I yeah, I don't I Kate: Yeah. Rachel: don't get it. I don't get I don't that's what I don't get at all. Kate: Yeah, 'cause again, it it was one that th I I don't feel like they needed to change that. There's so many things that I I understand Rachel: Yeah. Kate: the need to to cut it or change it. But this was one like they they had Ian and Sally together. You Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: could have just kept them as the ones that got married. Rachel: The only thing that I can think is that they didn't want to go into the detail of explaining that she was moving to the original Essex County and that Kylie and Gideon were the ones that were gonna stay in this house. And so they like almost implied it by having Kylie and Gideon get married. That's the only thing that I can think. Kate: Yeah. But like they wouldn't have needed to give that context, you know? Like Rachel: Yeah. Kate: they didn't have to to explain any of that. Nobody would have asked for it. I don't know. Rachel: I know. Mm-hmm. a change that they made that I do think makes sense for the movie setting. They combine the characters of Rebecca and Hannah. So there really was not enough time to build out both Rebecca both Rebecca and Hannah's backstories. So they just combine the two. So in the movie, they describe Maria Owens' mother as being Hannah Owens, who was married to the OG Tom Lockland. And they claim that he burned her at the stake in their home, which we even see that the setup's still there. Whereas in the book we know that Rebecca was Maria's birth mother and she's the one who is married to Tom Lockland, and he burned her adoptive mother, Hannah, alive at Hannah's home. So again, it's an it makes sense, it made sense, just to shorten the story. Sally does not lose her magic at the end of the movie. And that's a change that I love. I know I said I didn't like any of the changes. I lied. I love this change. Because this is a trope that we see in a lot of romantasy books where the powerful FMC gives up her power at the end of the book to save everybody else. So I love that they changed that in the movie. Kate: Yeah, I wasn't mad at this one either. It was pretty rough in the book to have her like embrace her magic again, only to have to give it up almost immediately. Like that was Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: that was a rough thing. And I know that by the end, you know, she was learning the green magic with Ian's mom Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: and stuff. Like it was they still kind of, you know, gave her some magic back, but it still I don't feel like it was a necessary part of the book. Rachel: Yeah. Kate: And then, like I said, Ian is mostly uninvolved once they get to Thornfield, which is a big difference from the book where he's along with them when they go to Lockland Manor, So like rather than going with the women to Lockland Manor, I think that they just they just knocked him out and he was just like off screen, Rachel: Yeah. Kate: supposedly unconscious for a lot of the action. in the the end of the the movie. And I just would have liked a lot more of him. I think that we all could have used a little bit more Lee Pace in this movie. He was so gorgeous. Also Rachel: I agree. I agree. Although I the knocking him out with the cast iron pan, that was a little bit of a wink to the first movie, so I did like that. Kate: I mean, yeah. That was that was a that was a pretty big frying pan to the back of the head wink from Rachel: Yeah. Kate: from the first movie. so yeah, I thought that that was nice, but again, it made him off screen for yeah. Yeah. Rachel: Not around, which we disliked, yes. Kate: I thought it was also interesting to make him like magic magic instead of just a magic scholar. Like he had like magical powers in a way that I don't think that he did in the book. but I don't I I don't know that I was mad at this one though, because the scene with him putting his arm around Sally with his hand on her chest kind of makes up for that in my mind, because that was a good scene. Rachel: So did you think that he had magic? Cause I was unclear. Like, I thought that he was definitely a magic scholar and was able to help Sally find her magic again. But it wasn't clear to me whether that was him sort of knowing that Hedgewitch type magic that we see in the book Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: and helping her process to like build like cause she in the movie she puts that spell on her herself and her family to hide. remove magic from their lives. So I didn't know if that was like him helping her break that spell or if he actually had magic the same way that they do as bloodline witches. Kate: Well, so I again I don't know if he's a full bloodline witch magic, but it seemed like, well, he had that line when he like when the he got rid of the doll that was part of his hex and he was Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: like, you know, men can do what women can do now and or something like that. So he was kind Rachel: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Kate: of implying that like he had the magic there. But the scene that I was describing where he like puts his hand on Sally's chest to try to break that curse. Like there's like that glowing, you know, there's like the glowing aura Rachel: Mm-hmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. Kate: around his hand, and that just made me feel like he was causing that. Rachel: Gotcha. Okay. Yeah. Kate: So that that was my interpretation of it. It seemed like he was more like actual magic in this Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: in this movie. Rachel: I like that. Kate: Yeah. Yeah. So again, it wasn't something that I was mad at because it gave us that scene. That was there's some beautiful tension in it. also another difference. There were no ghosts or shades in the fens in Thornfield. so rather than having the characters see the shades in the fens, they kind of get these like magical flashback feelings where they get Rachel: Mm. Kate: glimpses of things from the past, I think. this is another one I wasn't mad at since the shades don't really add that much in the book. I don't know what you thought, but I was fine with that one. Yeah. Rachel: Yeah, it didn't bother me. It was fine. Kate: no trip to Paris. Makes sense. They didn't include Vincent. They didn't really need that. And I know that it would have been nice to get some pretty scenes in Paris, but Rachel: Yes. Kate: it it was fine. but Rachel: But this would have been awesome on the HBO miniseries, a trip to Paris. I feel like they could do an entire Kate: Yes, yes. Rachel: episode in Paris. Kate: Absolutely, because again, that scene gave us growth for Vincent's character. Rachel: Yes, yes. Kate: And so again, to complete the, you know, full vision of these characters that we followed throughout these the series, that would have been a really important thing if Vincent existed in this Rachel: Uh-huh. Kate: this version, you know. So again, if we get a full series, we better get a scene in Paris, but we didn't get one here. It's fine. A big difference though for the ending of the book, or the ending of the movie compared to the book, was that there is no red rain. That like Tom didn't get to complete any spells or curses before Sally and Gillian get to him. So he doesn't curse the town with the red rain that like is a plague that Rachel: Yeah. Kate: It like covers the entire town. Rachel: Yeah, I find that interesting that they cut that. Because in my head, I'm like, would it have been too dark and pushed it into rated R ter territory? But I feel like they could have done it and kept it still PG-13. But I guess they Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: really wanted to like narrow the story in to that one space. That's the only thing I can think. Like, cause I I do think it would have made more sense for him to try and get back on this town that has treated him poorly. Although I guess it's because they couldn't explain the Rebecca curse. They didn't explain the Rebecca curse very well. That that had to be the reason that they cut it. Kate: Yeah. Rachel: And that he was just jealous and wanted Kylie's magic instead. But 'cause that's what they did instead. They he's Kate: Yeah, yeah. Rachel: just trying to steal Kylie's magic. Kate: Yeah, so they kind of changed his motivations. Like in the book, he Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: was really out for revenge on the town that Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: scorned him and that shunned him. but yeah, in the movie his motivation is he wants power. a few things that were not necessarily just like differences from the book to the movie, but just things that kind of bothered me that I wanna get off my chest. Gillian's fucking luggage. Rachel: Ha ha ha. Kate: The fucking luggage. It was kind of funny in like one scene, but then like the thirtieth time that I saw them lugging it up the stairs, I was like, it's enough. It's enough. Rachel: Yeah. Kate: I feel like they no pun intended, drug that one out a little bit too too long. Rachel: Yeah. Kate: this is one that I I've seen everybody kind of complaining about, but the product placements. the giant ninja slushy machine. That Rachel: Yeah. Kate: was so it was so silly. It was so big. Rachel: Yeah. Kate: And then like the million times that they said cool whip, I mean whatever. Rachel: Y well, they didn't even show cool whip though. Like she still didn't bring it. I know. Yeah. Kate: I know, but they just kept saying it. I d I don't know. And then one one thing that it was it was a small thing and I know that I'm nitpicking here, but the vision that Kylie got that was like, I need to go to England, it was a red fucking phone booth. And I just felt like Rachel: Yeah. Kate: that was like we were saying, like the spoon feeding thing. That Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: shit is so on the nose and it annoyed me. Rachel: Well, they showed the exact place too. Like the phone booth was, I think, a cue to the audience that it's England, but it was the exact place in Thornfield that she drew. Cause if you're you know. Yeah. Kate: I know, 'cause they they put the phone booth in Thornfield, but still. Rachel: Yeah, I know. Well, the the thing that there's two things I'm gonna add. So one thing that drove me nuts, and I don't even know why, but watching it, I was like, this is so dumb. When Gillian said f f*** it at the end when they're describing, like, this song is actually Pina Colada's, not Margarita's. And she Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: says, but f f*** it. I don't her saying f f*** it set me into a rage. I say f f*** it 25 times a day, but it sent me into a rage about the rating of the movie because I was like, what could they have given us given us instead of this f*** f*** it? A glimpse of Lee Pace's gray sweatpants outline. Kate: I would have I would trade a million f its for one. For just a wet Rachel: How it w I don't know enough about how ratings work, but that's how it worked in my mind. Like I started doing the calculations of like what did we give up for this f it Kate: I know. Yeah. What did we give up to get one? Because I know that PG-13, like you can get away with like one f, right? Like, and so they Rachel: Yes. Mm-hmm. Kate: you you can tell when directors like use it very strategically. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: They're like, Okay, we get one, when are we gonna use it? Rachel: Yes. Kate: but yeah, I I I I feel ya on that one. I feel like they're like what did we what did we lose to get that one? Rachel: Yeah. And then this is a difference, but it's also a list of it it's top of my list of grievances, so I'm putting it here. No red boots. Not one red boot in that movie. I maybe I missed Kate: No. Rachel: it, but I don't think there was one. Kate: No, I was looking, I didn't see them, and I feel like that would have been an easy thing to include. Rachel: Put them on Gillian. She like, I feel like maybe she didn't wear it in the original. I thought that she kind of did. That one outfit, they were like brown boots, Kate: Maybe. Rachel: maybe, but I I don't know. Like, she at least wore boots. Like, I don't remember any there, maybe there were boots, but none that stuck out to me other than like Sally's rain boots. but there were no red boots. We do have those ugly striped socks at the end that I know were a nod to the original movie, but I'm sorry. Kate: I know, but Rachel: Make em red boots instead. Cause nobody cared Kate: Yeah. Rachel: about those red striped socks in the in the original movie. I can tell you right now, nobody cared about those socks. Kate: No, and it just it just you know, again, it it ended up feeling silly instead Rachel: Yes. Kate: of feeling like whimsical. Rachel: Yeah, it moved it more into like Halloweentown territory. Kate: Yeah, yeah. So I a and again, red boots, how hard would that have been? They don't even have to like get into the lore of the red boots. Just throw in there in the the costume department and give Rachel: Right. Kate: us a nod. Rachel: Yeah. Well, speaking of nods, there were a few nods to the book series that I I enjoyed. So the apple pie. So in the book we know that apple pie is what is used to bring Kylie home and Antonia uses Kate: They call it Rachel: it to get her go ahead. Kate: sorry, they they call it a lost daughter pie in the books. Rachel: Okay, lost daughter pie. Apple pie though. to bring Kylie home. And in the movie, they don't do that, but Ian's mother does make an amazing apple pie with custard. And Ian and Sally romantically enjoy it together. And I was salivating. I was salivating. When Sally took the gravy boat of custard with her to bed, I was like, I need the recipe and I want to do that as well. Like just seeing a gravy boat of custard. Yes. Kate: I have never related to anything more. Rachel: Ha ha ha Kate: Yeah, it looked it looked really good. And I know like in the theater when they had that scene, I heard a few people that were not enjoying the custard being poured on the the pie, which I didn't understand. There were people like, What? Rachel: god. Kate: But because it like I guess it looked like gravy because it was in the gravy I don't know, whatever. An American audience here, but Rachel: Yeah, easier to pour down your throat. Kate: I know. I'm like, this looks delicious. Rachel: Another one, the Bloodline Witches. So we really don't get all the details about Bloodline Witches like we do in the books, but they do reference that magic is in the Owen's blood. And that's why Bad Tom wants to steal Kylie's magic. So I liked, you know, there was a little hint of it. Kate: Mm-hmm. Rachel: And then crows. So at the beginning of the movie, we see a crow sort of stalking Sally. And it seems to be what sends Jet to the library to find the Book of the Raven. So we don't see familiars in the movie, but it was nice to have that sort of nod to Sally's eventual crow familiar that she gets at the end of the book. Kate: Agreed. And I know there was that scene from Magic Lessons, I think, where Cadin, Maria's familiar, is like dropping things onto the roof of Hathorne's house Rachel: Yes. Kate: and I don't know, like we we loved the the nuisance that that bird Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: became and I we did see some of that with Sally, like the bird was like hitting on the roof of like the library, I think, or something. And she was really annoyed at it. And I I like that we got a nuisance bird And then one other nod that I'll bring up again, the very subtle look exchanged between Antonia and an unnamed wedding guest could be a nod to the book. I'm I'm grasping at straws here, Rachel, but I it could be a nod to the book because I think that you would only notice that if you were waiting for her to find her girlfriend. Rachel: Yeah. Yeah, the way you're describ I mean it's just so subtle. Like i I Kate: Yeah, yeah. Rachel: and I just don't get it. Like twenty twenty-six, I just don't get it. Like I think that most people would be drawn to that in a movie. seeing di diversity in some way, you Kate: I know. I mean, I obviously I feel that way. I I do wonder sometimes how isolated we are in our like echo chambers of like, well, all of my friends are queer. All of my all the like media that I consume is queer. are the movie producers going after an audience that we don't care about or we don't see, we don't agree with, Rachel: Yeah, I know that there's haters out there. I just say fuck Just like Gillian said. Fuck it. Fuck Kate: Well yeah, absolutely. Rachel: them. Kate: Absolutely, because I'm thinking everybody would enjoy this and they're thinking, well, Rachel: This movie's not for them. Yeah. Kate: this is an easy thing for us to cut. And yeah, that's annoying. Rachel: Yeah. Kate: over overall I did enjoy this. I was a little Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: skeptical because the critics were not super favorable to this. But as I think we mentioned before, they didn't critics didn't like the first movie and we fucking love the first movie. so Rachel: Yeah. Kate: I was not really hanging my hat on what the critics were gonna say. So I enjoyed it. Obviously there were some things that we wish were a little bit different. That's always going to be the case when there's a an Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: adaptation of a book to a movie. But overall I feel like they they did a a pretty good job with it. I wasn't enraged by it. I enjoyed the dynamics with the characters. and I don't know, I might I might watch it again. Rachel: Yeah, I left the movie and immediately was like, I don't know that I'm ever gonna watch this again. But now that a couple days have gone, I Kate: Yeah. Rachel: I want to go see it again already. So I think the thing that people don't like about it is that it's impossible to capture the nostalgia of the original movie. The original movie was created in the 90s with 90s technology, 90s fashion. Botox free nineties skin and This was created in 2026 and it was very, very obviously created in 2026. Like the production value was there. The shadow magic powers like happened in a way that you would not, yeah. Yeah, the Kate: Yeah. The CGI was there. Rachel: CGI was there. Like it was not a 90s movie. And I think that is what took people out of it. Cause I think that's what everybody expected to get out of it. And I I didn't go into it expecting to get that personally. So for me, I agree. I think they did a good job with it. I think that I would imagine that a younger crowd will really like this the same way that, you know, we view the original movie as like this nostalgic movie that we watch over and over again. I could see a younger generation feeling that way about this one. Kate: I agree. And you you can just you can never recapture that nostalgia. So if that's what you're expecting from this, like that's just it's not realistic. You're not going to recapture the nostalgia of the nineties as much as we would love to. Rachel: Mm-hmm. Kate: but yeah, I thought I thought that it was it it didn't erase the the magic of the first one. So Rachel: I agree. Well, this concludes our coverage of the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman. While we prefer the books, the movie and now movies certainly hold a special place in our hearts. And I think we'll both continue to watch them every year to kick off spooky season. But Kate: Mm. Rachel: we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a comment or slide into our DMs with your thoughts on the books and the movies and what really stood out to you when you were watching. Kate: And next week we begin our next deep dive. Join us for our coverage of The Incendiary by LJ Claren. This is book two in the Selvaren series. And if you're new to the podcast, we've already completed a four episode deep dive of Book One, The Silversmith, as well as a summary episode and an interview with author LJ Claren. Rachel: Also, next week, we're celebrating the release of Threshing Day, the newest book in the Empyrean series. We are big Empyrean fans over here. If you follow us on social media, you've seen a lot of our theories. So join us on September 28th for a virtual release party. The link is in the show notes. So please, it's a totally free event, but RSVP. We're teaming up with @AXHarleston, who hosts the Romantasy Chaos HQ podcast, which we've been on a couple of times now. We're teaming up with them and our friend Claire from @RuningBooks, who also has a ton of Empyrean theories. And it's just gonna be a fun night. we're gonna share theories, play some games, and we have some drinks and snacks and activities for you. So definitely follow along on social so that you can make sure that you have everything you need for the perfect Empyrean evening. And then we'll be following up with a reaction episode to Threshing Day on October 1st. So we took off work. We're gonna be reading all day. Kate: Shh. Don't tell our bosses. Rachel: We're gonna be reading all day and coming with an episode on Threshing Day itself, October first, with our reaction. All right. See you next week. Kate: Bye.