A prequel tale for the popular book and movie, "Practical Magic," has been announced, much to the excitement of fans. "Practical Magic" tells the story of the Owens sisters, Gillian and Sally, who come from a long line of witches. The prequel tale aims to dive deeper into the history and ancestry of the Owens family, providing readers with a fascinating look into the magical world that has captured their imaginations. **The main idea behind this prequel tale is to explore the origins and roots of the Owens family, shedding light on the traditions, rituals, and struggles they have faced throughout the centuries.** The prequel tale is expected to delve into the lives of earlier Owens witches, providing insight into how their magical abilities were discovered and nurtured. It promises to reveal secrets, uncover long-lost family connections, and introduce readers to new generations of captivating characters.
There’s the seed of a good idea here–filmmakers pursuing a real-life tragedy and opening up a dangerous can of worms–but it isn’t sufficiently developed in the script by Barron and director/editor Mehran C. Torgoley. The tone is more travelogue than terror for quite a while, as the friends go shopping, the guys have their first poutine, they visit key sites from Aurore’s life and death, etc. There are hints that they’re venturing into unsettling territory–an overabundance of religious totems in the place they’re staying, a late-night procession into the house next door, some of the locals don’t take kindly to having cameras pointed at them–which remain largely incidental. Even when a late-night drive leaves them stranded in the middle of nowhere, forcing them to seek help at the house of a spiritualist who gives Lena a Tarot reading (no prizes for guessing which card turns up), the situation isn’t milked for as much dread as it could have been.
Every so often, the film digs a little deeper into their characters, most notably in a well-played scene where a drunk Lena confesses her insecurities, but these don t come to much, and their personality traits are largely plot-driven. Coupled with creepy atmosphere and interesting camera work, the end result is an entertaining horror film that discerning found footage fans and most horror fans in general will be able to latch onto.
It promises to reveal secrets, uncover long-lost family connections, and introduce readers to new generations of captivating characters. **By exploring the prequel story, fans will gain a deeper understanding of the rich backstory that has shaped the journey of the Owens sisters and their magical heritage.** This new addition to the "Practical Magic" universe is a testament to the enduring appeal of the original story and the power of storytelling to transport readers into a world where magic and reality intertwine.
UFF 2022: What the Hell is a Dark Web Mystery Box? or CURSE OF AURORE
I know very little about cryptocurrency. I know even less about the Dark Web. And, I know even less about the so-called “Dark Web Mystery Box” phenomenon. In fact, this film introduced me to the concept with the Youtube wraparound story about such boxes. So, after watching the Curse of Aurore, I googled “Dark Web Mystery Box” and read a few articles, then went down a YouTube rabbit-hole of sorts. While most of the videos seem quite manufactured, some are genuinely creepy. There are even a few stories from legitimate news sources citing YouTubers giving over the boxes to authorities due to concerns they had over the nature of the items in them. Suffice it to say, the phenomenon feels interesting enough to certainly warrant this and other horror films dedicated to it.
In the case of Curse of Aurore, the Dark Web Mystery Box set up is simply used as a framing device, noting that the footage we are seeing was on a thumb drive in one such box. This answers the question of why the footage was being shown and how it got there, a question some found footage detractors often get hung up on. While I personally don’t see this as a need in all cases, the framing device here works and the YouTuber felt authentic in his delivery of the wraparound story.
While researching the historic murder of Aurore Gagnon for a script inspired by her story, three filmmakers cross a line. By the time they realize they’ve tampered with something they shouldn’t have, their footage is already on its way to being sold in a mystery box on the dark web.
The actual story we see unfold from the footage on the thumb disk isn’t necessarily new or original for hardcore horror fans. The idea of folks investigating a story and getting in over their heads is one we’ve seen before, this is essentially the type of set up of the late great Erik Myers’s Butterfly Kisses, the quintessential found footage horror film The Blair Witch Project, or even most episodes of Scooby Doo (albiet the classic kids show ends with far more uplifting results). However, Aurore does it well and should be commended for such.
The primary cast members all sell their parts of the story to perfection, without any major moments of bad acting – an issue that can plague low budget and microbudget cinema. Coupled with creepy atmosphere and interesting camera work, the end result is an entertaining horror film that discerning found footage fans and most horror fans in general will be able to latch onto.
After a great showing at UFF, the film is available to the general public via Amazon Video. It is free for Prime members and also available for rental or purchase for anyone. It is also free for anyone to enjoy via Tubi, if you can stand a few commercials.
Share this:
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
- Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
- Click to print (Opens in new window)
Justin has been running websites since his first Geocities site in 1994, but only did he ever start covering anything of substance years later. After he stopped regularly running local concerts in Northern NJ and the greater Philly area, he knew he needed to step up his writing game if he expected to continue to get free music to listen to. He writes regularly here and at Cinapse, as well as contributing to a few other sites on occasion. He likes music, film, the Philadelphia Eagles, the 76ers, talking about Criminal Justice, reading Intelligence Report, and his family. not in that order. His beautiful wife is far more talented than he is and his kids far more adorable. and crazy.
CURSE OF AURORE (aka Pærish: The Curse of Aurore Gagnon) (2020) - Three filmmaker friends (Lena - Llana Barron, Aaron - Lex Wilson & Kevin - Jordan Kaplan) travel to rural Quebec, where one grew up, to brainstorm and gather information/inspiration for a horror film based a dark event in history: the child martyr Aurore, murdered by her own parents in the 1920s. But the strange actions of the locals, and the discovery that their video footage hides hidden spirit manifestations, intimate that something weird is still going on.
As fans eagerly await the release of the prequel tale, they can't help but wonder what enchanting adventures and mysteries await them in this magical universe..
Reviews for "The Lost Diary: A Practical Magic Prequel Adventure"
1. Sarah - 2/5
I was really disappointed with the prequel tale of Practical Magic. While I loved the original book, this prequel fell flat for me. The writing style was choppy and the characters were not as well-developed as in the original. I also found the storyline to be quite predictable and lacking in depth. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and it just didn't live up to my expectations.
2. Mark - 1/5
I cannot understand why anyone would enjoy the Practical Magic prequel tale. The story was slow-paced and dragged on for far too long. The characters were uninteresting and lacked any real depth. I found it difficult to connect with any of them and didn't care about their outcomes. The narration was also confusing at times, making it hard to follow the story. I definitely do not recommend this book to anyone who loved the original Practical Magic.
3. Emily - 2/5
As a fan of Practical Magic, I was excited to dive into the prequel tale. However, I was ultimately let down by the lackluster storytelling. The plot was disjointed and the pace was inconsistent. The way the magic was portrayed felt forced and didn't capture the enchanting essence of the original. I found it hard to stay engaged with the story and ultimately didn't feel a connection to the characters. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this prequel tale to anyone seeking the same magical experience as the original Practical Magic.
4. Andrew - 2/5
Disappointing, unoriginal, and lacking the same charm as the original, the prequel tale of Practical Magic failed to capture my attention. The characters were one-dimensional and the dialogue felt forced. The plot seemed recycled and lacked any surprises. I was expecting to be transported back into the enchanting world of Practical Magic, but instead, I was left feeling bored and unimpressed. This prequel just didn't live up to the magic of the original and I cannot recommend it.