Practical Magic

Right now you can watch Practical Magic in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the UK on HBO Max Amazon Channel and Now TV — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 1,737 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch it for Sandra Bullock — stay for everyone else around them. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Practical Magic earns its spot. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Practical Magic from the crowd. Sally and Gillian Owens, born into a magical family, have mostly avoided witchcraft themselves. But when Gillian's vicious boyfriend, Jimmy Angelov, dies unexpectedly, the Owens sisters give themselves a crash course in hard magic. With policeman Gary Hallet growing suspicious, the girls struggle to resurrect Angelov -- and unwittingly inject his corpse with an evil spirit that threatens to end their family line. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It hit screens in 1998. Practical Magic earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Practical Magic is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Sandra Bullock is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.