The Archies (2023)

Set in a mixed Indian-English town in India, The Archies is a version of the original comic, taking place in the 1960s.

There’s a love triangle (where you unexpectedly find yourself rooting for everyone), a political conspiracy, a rock band, and the most charming cast of friends. The movie is vibrant and filled with musical sequences, like a classic Bollywood, that seamlessly move a complicated plot forward.

It’s a classic tale of small businesses and communities being threatened by a powerful big profit-driven corporation. It tells this age-old story with nuance and genuine gravity but still feels light and indulgent.

Really, this is only one of the main storylines.

It keeps its feel-good tone by having a cast where everyone is actually likable in their own way.

The whole friend group are all miraculously beautiful, and styled with clothes that match their character, all while being colorful and convincingly in the period.

The town feels real and is really well-designed to feel full of culture, while also depicting the nuance of what it’s like to have a mixed culture. You learn real history, too, while you get sucked into these character’s lives.

Its earnest, funny, and visually stunning. If you don’t leave the movie without a favorite character or crush, you’re insane.