I Didn't Think 'Practical Magic 2' Needed to Exist, But I Walked Away from It a Wreck

Am I fan of 1998 classic Practical Magic? Considering I've watched it nearly every October since I was a teenager, I would say so. Did I think it needed a sequel? Absolutely not. Despite its admittedly bleak central conceit—every man who falls in love with an Owens woman dies—I find it to be the perfect comfort film with the perfect ending. One that, in my eyes, didn't need to be expanded upon or messed with.

Alas, a follow-up film was going to have to do just that. But as much as I would have liked to keep the Owens sisters exactly how I left them, I obviously wasn't going to miss seeing Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman make their witchy comebacks as Sally and Gillian Owens, the characters who defined my whimsigoth phase (which, TBH, has never really ended) and made floating off the roof of a Victorian mansion one of my life's goals. So when I was invited to an early screening of Practical Magic 2, I donned my best velvet maxi skirt and prepared myself for some popcorn and (hopefully) a midnight margarita or two.

What I didn't prepare for were the many, many tears I ended up shedding throughout the movie. Wary as I was going into it, the sequel ultimately won me over not by appealing to my nostalgia—or even my love of whimsical fashion and interiors, of which there is both in droves—but by capturing the emotions that come with the changing phases of one's life, family and sense of self, as well as the bonds that stay strong through it all. Although there are a couple of romantic storylines woven into the plot, I was also touched by how they seemed to play second fiddle to what felt like the real love story of the film: sisterhood.

Kidman's Gillian once again plays as the freewheeling foil to Bullock's tightly wound Sally, and their dynamic is even more delightful this time around, as they travel to England to fight a force that's threatening Sally's daughter Kylie (played by Joey King). As scary as the reason for this adventure is, sisterly antics ensue. Leave it to these two and their incredible chemistry to infuse some humor and levity into even the most tense situations—just like in the original.

Cast favorites Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest, who reprise their roles as the eccentric elders of the Owens clan, Aunt Frances and Aunt Jet, are as charmingly hilarious as ever, but are truly phenomenal in some of the more heart-tugging moments of the plot. Throw in a well-timed Stevie Nicks tune and it'd be hard for anybody not to get misty-eyed.

Joining King to make up the third generation pair of Owens sisters is Maisie Williams as Antonia, Sally's other daughter, who is training to be a doctor. Kylie, with her red hair and flightiness, clearly takes after her aunt Gill, while Antonia, from her brunette strands to her logic, is a mini Sally. While this is framed as a cute parallel, their opposite personalities don't clash nearly as much as the ones of their older counterparts, which is refreshing.

Also new to the cast is Lee Pace as hunky, inked-up magic expert Ian Wright. Although I have no complaints about seeing Pace in anything—least of all nothing (you'll get this when you see the movie)—I'll admit that I was somewhat confused by his character. Yes, Ian enters the plot as a mysterious new love interest, but I felt that he was missing some backstory—or at least some prophecy of fate—that tied him to Sally and Gillian. In any case, he's wickedly captivating, and kept me guessing about his true intentions until the very end.

There's a lot more high-stakes action in this film, along with comedy that practically borders on slapstick. And while there are plenty of callbacks to the original, it's no Copy-Paste of the cozy '90s comfort film we've come to know and love. Still, it stands on its own as a fun, heartfelt continuation of the Owens' story—one that's primary message comes down to: Love 'em or hate 'em, your sister will always have your back. That said, this would be great to go see with your own sister, daughter or BFF. Just be sure to bring some tissues along with those midnight margs.

Practical Magic 2 is now playing in theaters everywhere.