Practical Magic is a 1998 American romantic comedy film that follows the lives of two sisters, Sally and Gillian Owens, who come from a long line of witches. The film explores themes of love, sisterhood, and the power of magic. Common Sense Media is an organization that provides unbiased reviews and ratings of movies, TV shows, video games, books, and more, helping parents and caregivers make informed choices about the media their children consume. They provide information about age-appropriateness, content, and potential issues that may arise from consuming a particular media product. When it comes to the film Practical Magic, Common Sense Media provides parental guidance stating that while it is marketed as a romantic comedy, it does contain some mature content and themes that may not be suitable for younger viewers. They mention that there are scenes of violence, sexuality, and some strong language throughout the film.
An all-too-common experience
Geoff and Ellie live in a suburban Chicago neighborhood that looks familiar from movies like Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller s Day Off both filmed in the area. Sisters Sally and Gillian have been trying to escape their family reputation, which isn t helped by their aunts Bridget and Frances played so beautifully by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing cooking up love potions constantly.
They mention that there are scenes of violence, sexuality, and some strong language throughout the film. Additionally, they note that the film explores themes of witchcraft and magic, which may be of concern to some parents who are uncomfortable with these topics. However, they emphasize that these elements are portrayed in a light-hearted and fantastical manner, rather than being realistic or promoting harmful beliefs or practices.
At Your Wits' End With A Screen-Obsessed Kid? Read This
Geoff and Ellie live in a suburban Chicago neighborhood that looks familiar from movies like Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off — both filmed in the area.
They have three kids — Nathan, 5, Benji, 11, and Abby, 14 — and they're worried that all three are too into their screens.
An all-too-common experience
Ninety-eight percent of families with children now have smartphones. Young children Nathan's age consume over two hours of media per day on average, tweens take in about six hours, and teens use their devices for nine hours a day, according to the nonprofit Common Sense Media.
Parenting: Screen Time And Your Family
5 Strategies For Coping With Screen-Obsessed Kids
Technology overuse ranked as the No. 1 fear of parents of teenagers in a national survey last year.
As we sit in the family room, Ellie tell us how it feels to have a houseful of tiny electronic devices that travel with her kids into their bedrooms, to the table, in the car — everywhere.
"We're the first generation of parents that has to do this monitoring," Ellie says.
Case in point: Nathan, her 5-year-old, is tugging at her sleeve:
"Mommy, Mommy. MOMMY, CAN I PLAY ON YOUR IPAD? CAN I NOW?! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!"
The problem with time-based rules
How did Geoff and Ellie get here? They are not hands-off parents, nor are they lacking in rules. In the kitchen, Ellie has posted color-coded schedules for all three kids, which show when each child is allowed to use screens.
NPR Ed
Young Children Are Spending Much More Time In Front Of Small Screens
But the kids don't listen. They fight back and complain. And sometimes, with dad working full time, mom part time, and three kids with three different schools and three different schedules, the rules fall through the cracks. "Give them an inch, and they'll take a mile and you're in trouble," Ellie says. "It's exhausting."
At one point, all three kids are sitting in separate corners on the sectional couch in the family room, each on his or her own device. Nathan, the little one, is playing on his iPad, totally hidden under a blanket — head and all. As I talk with Abby, Benji looks up and comments, "This is the most I've heard my sister say in a while."
Ellie puts it this way: "I lost my daughter when I gave her the cell phone."
I've brought an expert to observe and to give Geoff and Ellie some tips. Devorah Heitner has a Ph.D. in media, technology and society from Northwestern University and is author of the book Screenwise.
Heitner says she hears this kind of thing all the time. "I think all parents are like, 'Can you just tell me how many minutes?' Or I'll go speak at schools, and people will say, 'Can you just tell me the device I can use to fix the problem?' "
This misconception comes in part from the media, she says, and from companies — Apple, Google, Amazon — that advertise parental controls and settings as a magic solution.
Heitner and other experts do say to draw a bright line — and be a little authoritarian if you have to — over two times of day: bedtime and mealtime. Research says that more than two hours a day of screen time for young children doubles the risk of childhood obesity. Staring at screens can interfere with sleep, not only because of blue light but because of the emotional excitement of media content and the feeling of urgency about responding to messages.
All Tech Considered
A Guide To Parental Controls For Kids' Tech Use
Shots - Health News
No Snapchat In The Bedroom? An Online Tool To Manage Kids' Media Use
But in general, Heitner advises that families like this one need to switch from monitoring to mentoring. Policing their kids' device use isn't working. They need to understand why their kids are using devices and what their kids get out of those devices so they can help the kids shift their habits.
The relationship between teens, screens and mental health is complex and multidirectional
The real lightning bolt of wisdom on this comes from the oldest child, Abby.
Abby, who has braces and a short crop of curly hair, is snuggled in a hoodie. She starts our conversation speaking softly, but when asked what she wishes grown-ups knew about the phone, she speaks right up.
"Taking it away won't eliminate problems, 'cause it's not the sole reason that they existed in the first place."
Abby's mom has sent her articles about research linking teen depression and suicide to screen use. A 2017 article in The Atlantic magazine — "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?" — drew a link between negative trends in teens' mental health and the rise of smartphones and social media.
But Abby has a point: The relationship between screens and kids' mental and emotional health may not be so simple.
"[People always say] the iPhones are the only reason kids are depressed and can't sleep and have all of these problems — not stress from school, from other people, from other things happening," Abby says. "It's never the only reason."
More recently, a paper from Oxford University analyzed the same data featured in that Atlantic article — more than 350,000 participants in three huge surveys — and arrived at a different conclusion.
The negative relationship between teens' mental health and technology use is real — but tiny, the researchers found.
"It is extremely, extremely small," says Amy Orben, the lead author of that paper and two other related studies. "A teenager's technology use can only predict less than 1% of variation in well-being. It's so small that it's surpassed by whether a teenager wears glasses to school."
In Orben's view, Abby is dead-on. As Heitner says, "If you hand a happy kid a phone, they're not going to turn into an unhappy, miserable kid."
Heitner does caution, however, that devices can "turn up the volume" on existing issues. Children who have special needs or mental health challenges are also more likely to have problems with screens.
This goes for Benji, the middle child. He has anxiety, ADHD and emotional disabilities, and he is prone to meltdowns. Heitner says, in cases like his, parents should consult a professional who knows the child, be it a psychiatrist or occupational therapist.
This goes for Benji, the middle child. He has anxiety, ADHD and emotional disabilities, and he is prone to meltdowns. Heitner says, in cases like his, parents should consult a professional who knows the child, be it a psychiatrist or occupational therapist.
Overall, Common Sense Media suggests that practical magic may be appropriate for older teens and adults who are able to understand and engage with the more mature themes and content presented in the film. However, they recommend that parents watch the film first to determine whether it aligns with their personal values and beliefs before allowing younger viewers to watch it..
Reviews for "Practical Magic and Common Sense: A Dynamic Duo for Engaging With Media"
1. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed in "Praxtical Magic" after reading so many great reviews. I found the plot to be predictable and the characters to be one-dimensional. The movie tried to be whimsical and magical, but it fell flat for me. Overall, I didn't find any common sense in this movie and I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Michael - 2/5 stars - "Praxtical Magic" had some potential with its unique concept of witches living in a small town, but it missed the mark for me. The story felt disjointed and the pacing was off. Furthermore, the characters lacked depth and I couldn't connect with any of them. The movie had moments of charm, but overall, I felt like it could have been so much better.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - I didn't enjoy "Praxtical Magic" as much as I thought I would. The movie had a promising premise, but it didn't deliver. I found the portrayal of witches to be cliché and stereotypical, which was disappointing. The plot lacked depth and the resolution felt rushed. Overall, I expected more from this film and it left me feeling unsatisfied.
4. Mark - 1/5 stars - "Praxtical Magic" was a waste of my time. The movie had a confusing and convoluted storyline that I couldn't follow. The characters were uninteresting and the dialogue felt forced. Additionally, the movie had a lack of cohesion and it seemed like multiple plots were thrown together without any clear direction. I would not recommend watching this film.