With weed becoming legal in Canada on October 17, many of you will be looking to celebrate the occasion. If so, we’ve got two words for you: stoner films.
Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need to be high to watch a stoner flick. In fact, the plot doesn’t have to revolve around weed at all. After all, that’s how you end up with “classics” such as Up in Smoke or Half Baked.
A good stoner movie shouldn’t stop at including the use of marijuana. It should also have an interesting premise, good humor, and eccentric characters. Convoluted plot devices are optional.
With these traits in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the 7 best stoner movies you should watch. Here they are, in no particular order.
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1. Dazed and Confused (1993)
It doesn’t take long to classify Dazed and Confused as a stoner flick. After all, weed is present in the first shot of the movie.
Out of all the movies with coming-of-age themes, this may be the best one. The last day of school in 1976 is the ideal backdrop for smoking weed and relaxing with your pals. Everyone’s welcome: jocks, nerds, slackers, and burnouts.
The rich soundtrack sets the mood of the era perfectly. Of course, that’s what happens when you devote 1/6 of your budget to the music department.
Despite the movie’s overall vibe, Richard Linklater tried to keep the set professional. Among other things, drugs and alcohol were strictly prohibited. It didn’t help — many of the cast were often high during filming.
2. Friday (1995)
Many stoner movies use weed as a catalyst for the hero’s journey. Friday is one of the few examples where this works.
The movie’s main strength lies in its cast. From the curly-haired Big Worm to the unconventional pastor Clever, the ‘hood is laden with memorable characters. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Chris Tucker is an ad-libbing genius.
Friday isn’t all about laughs, either. Thanks to all the character depth, the anti-violence message is effective and poignant. Win some, lose some, live to fight another day.
3. Easy Rider (1969)
How do you know you’ve made an impact on stoner culture? Simple: they name a marijuana strain after the title of your movie.
In many ways, Easy Rider was one of the defining films of its generation. For starters, it showed people that you don’t need to be a “flower child” to smoke weed. How’s that for counterculture?
The film also helped kick-start the post-hippie aesthetic that dominated the mid-70s culture. This marked the beginning of the New Hollywood era.
One of the most iconic scenes features George Hanson (played by Jack Nicholson) trying weed for the first time. Many years later, Peter Fonda confirmed what many of us had suspected — those were real joints.
4. This is the End (2013)
In recent years, we’ve seen a lot of comedies written around a simple premise: actors playing themselves. This is the End may be the best of that bunch.
What’s the secret? Well, it helps that the main cast are all good friends in real life. To be honest, this does look like something Seth Rogen and friends came up with while they were getting high on the couch.
Oh, and did we mention that the plot revolves around the actual Apocalypse? Once the friends realize that the end is nigh, it doesn’t take them long to start turning on each other. Lots of hijinks and improv jokes follow.
Of course, weed plays a big part as well. Can you guess which characters get stoned the most throughout the movie? Besides Rogen, that is.
5. The Big Lebowski (1998)
Have you ever watched The Big Lebowski completely sober? If not, we’ve got some advice for you: get on it.
See, this movie is a perfect representation of what meeting people is like when you’re high. Every single person the Dude meets seems weird, confusing, or both. That’s not what they’re like in real life — that’s just how they appear to you.
Of course, the Dude himself may be the biggest stoner hero in the history of cinema. He never works, and still manages to lead a dream life. Well, at least until some goons mistake him for a millionaire of the same name and pee on his rug.
6. Pineapple Express (2008)
Soon, Pineapple Express will be a reminder of a different time. A time when the relationship between dealer and user was an important part of pot culture.
As weed gets easier to buy, this relationship is getting expendable. Not that long ago, these exchanges depended on trust and reliability. In fact, they were quite similar to a connection between a doctor and patient.
The movie’s main message is a valuable one: avoid getting too high. Weed and CBD oil are nice, but only in small doses. Discover more about this particular subject at the link we’ve provided here.
Also, James Franco based his character off Brad Pitt’s sage pothead from True Romance. Once you know about it, the similarities are striking.
7. Reefer Madness (1936)
In a way, this is more of an honorary mention. If you’re making a list of the most famous films about weed, Reefer Madness needs to be on it.
What’s the big deal, you ask? To answer that, you should know that this movie came out a year before the notorious Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. That’s right — this is a genuine anti-marijuana propaganda movie.
These days, the only reason to watch Reefer Madness is the unintentional hilarity of it. Where else will you see a group of fresh-faced students lose their minds over reefer? So overwrought, so entertaining.
More on Stoner Films
Think we’ve missed something? You won’t get an argument from us. That’s the problem with short lists — many worthy films get left out.
Still, all the above stoner films (minus Reefer Madness) have that certain something that makes you want to watch them for the umpteenth time. Must be that sticky green magic they’re famous for.
Looking for more good movies to watch? We may have a few recommendations for you! Take a look at our blog and see if anything catches your eye.