Everyone loves Practical Magic . For years, it has been held up as the ultimate autumnal touchstone, whispered about in hushed, reverent tones by people who start drinking warm cosy drinks the second a single leaf touches the pavement. 

For months, I was hounded by my colleagues for not having been part of this cultural phenomenon. I was shamed for my ignorance and promised that I would love every second of it. 

So naturally, I was terrified.

What if I hated it? What if I was bored? What if it was just another late-nineties pop-culture relic that didn't actually hold up or stand the test of time? 

Watch: Why the Practical Magic 2 Trailer is Dividing Fans. Article continues after video.

But now that I've finally watched it in preparation for the upcoming sequel, I can firmly say: I was wrong. It's amazing and I am formally issuing a public apology to every single person I scoffed at.

I was somewhat doubtful going into it because of the relentless hype, but I was won over within minutes. The casting alone is perfection. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock playing sisters feels so right it almost defies logic. 

For anyone who somehow missed this '90s staple like I did, the plot revolves around the Owens sisters, Sally and Gillian. Descended from a long line of witches, they carry a devastating family curse: any man who falls in love with an Owens woman is doomed to a premature death. 

After a childhood spent being raised by their eccentric, chocolate-for-breakfast aunts, the sisters take drastically different paths. Sally shuns magic altogether in search of a quiet, normal life, while Gillian runs off to live wildly and recklessly.

When Gillian finds herself trapped in a toxic relationship with an abusive boyfriend named Jimmy, Sally steps in to rescue her. 

Naturally, things go sideways, leading to an accidental poisoning, a desperate dark-magic resurrection attempt, an accidental murder (again) and a haunt from Jimmy's unhinged ghost. 

Throw in a handsome detective investigating Jimmy's disappearance — who Sally accidentally summoned years ago with a love spell — and you have a story that effortlessly mixes dark suspense with heart-wrenching romance.

Watching Bullock and Kidman bounce off each other through all of this feels like eavesdropping on real siblings who would happily hide a body for you without asking a single follow up question — which, as it turns out, is a fairly crucial plot point.

The story itself hits a surprisingly delicate balance. It seamlessly weaves generational curses, cosy small-town romance, domestic abuse recovery and a sudden, slightly unhinged pivot into accidental murder and dark witchcraft. It's wild, it's emotional and it just works.

But if we are being completely honest, the absolute best part of Practical Magic are the vibes.

True movie lovers will tell you that sometimes the best films aren't even really about the plot or the character arcs (though this movie has both). It's about the vibes. The elusive, impossible-to-replicate, atmospheric magic.

This movie is magic.

The house alone is enough to make you want to pack up and move tomorrow. Then there's the fashion. The slinky slip dresses, the cosy oversized knits, the linen button-downs and the velvet waistcoats. And the hair. Sandra's iconic silky brown locks and Nicole's endless cascade of red waves. 

The entire film radiates an overwhelming, intoxicating cosy-core energy. It is a film designed for infinite rewatches.

I can't even pretend I'm a fan of the endless, soul-sucking parade of sequels Hollywood is pumping out at the moment. In fact, I can say with absolute certainty that I am usually first in line to complain about them. We do not need an origin story for every minor character, nor do we need a reboot of every beloved childhood classic.

However, I would watch a thousand remakes of Practical Magic purely for the feeling it gives me.

It somehow accomplished the impossible: it got me genuinely, unironically excited about a sequel, a feeling I haven't experienced in a very long time.

Bring on the magic, bring on the house and bring on the midnight margaritas. I am officially a convert.

Feature Image: Warner Bros.