Day 115: Practical Magic

After the death of their parents, Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) are raised by their aunts. They learn that they are witches and the aunts teach them about the ways of their craft. Life for the women is difficult because the people of the town see them as different and fear them but they come together when it matters.

The aunts cook up a spell to give Sally and Michael a little push into falling in love. And when Sally was a little girl she made up a spell that called for a man with all the qualities that she was sure she’d never find, so that she could never die of a broken heart. She marries Michael and they have two children and they are very happy. When he dies she is devastated, naturally. Later she meets Gary (Aidan Quinn), who is the man she called for as a child, and the two fall in love and are happy. But in both cases magic was used to bring them together and I’m not sure if that means the love is real. At one point Sally says to Gary that they’d never know if they really loved each other or if it was the magic. But then part of me thinks, does it matter how it happens? They feel like they do, so surely that’s what matters. I think if I was in that situation I’d probably doubt it was real and it would end up driving me mad. But they seem to be fine with it, so that’s alright.

What always gets me about this film is that they are witches so it must be easy to get rid of a body? Like, what is the point in being a witch if you just have to bury someone like the rest of us? And they drove all the way from Arizona back to New England. Google Maps is telling me that’s 1363 miles. Surely they could’ve ditched him somewhere along the way rather than take him all the way back to where they live? No?

8/10

Day 33: Benny and Joon

I forgot to say yesterday but for the whole of February I am watching the favourite films of 28 people that I asked/begged. I’m not watching them in any particular order (except for one birthday special) so it’s just a whatever-mood-I’m-in kind of thing.

So, we’re off to a bad start. I hate The Proclaimers and their stupid 500 miles. I hate it so much. But I didn’t let it affect my viewing (despite a loud “UGH” as soon as it started). Sadly it also ended on the song (my notes: “Fuck me it ends on it too”) but whatever, that was the only bad point of the entire film so I can look past it.

Benny (Aidan Quinn) has spent years forsaking his own life in order to look after his sister, Joon (Mary Stuart Masterston), who is mentally ill. She’s creative, likes her routine and doesn’t like stressful situations. Unfortunately she also doesn’t get along too well with the housekeepers and Benny finds himself in a difficult situation; should he try to find another housekeeper or should he put Joon in a group home? Luckily the decision isn’t up to him. They soon find their lives completely changed by the arrival of loveable eccentric Sam (Johnny Depp).

I’m usually not a fan of Johnny Depp but I loved this character right off the bat. As soon as I saw him in the tree I was immediately smitten. My favourite part about his character is that he sees past the mentally ill label and treats Joon like a person, quite unlike her brother. He sadly seems to be fixated on the fact she’s ‘sick’ rather than anything else. And, of course, Sam scales a building for her. I mean, how could I not love him? Their relationship is sweet and lovely and exactly what she seems to need. Too often those with mental health issues are reduced to a label and people forget that they want just as much as anybody else.

Really loved the film despite having not too much to say about it.

9/10