Twelve Stoner Movies to Watch or Rewatch
As cannabis gained popularity among the counterculture in the 70’s and infiltrated the mainstream in the 90’s, we were blessed with an increasing number of beautifully crafted, hilarious, and (in some cases) downright accurate, depictions of weed toking characters to grace our screens.
There’s also something intensely satisfying about getting high and watching movies about getting high, ya know? So whether your hunkering down to escape the winter chill, or you’re planning a low key netflix and chill with your valentine (shout out to my fella), here are the best stoner movies to watch or rewatch, in no particular order.
Reefer Madness 1936
Someone should arrange a screening of this gem, in a toke friendly space, as it’s quite possibly the best (unintentional) stoner spoof movie ever made. Sure it was less forgiving in 1936, but we’ve got to move on sometime, right?
Billy Madison
The dopey rich stoner, played by Adam Sandler, in what is arguably his best film. Billy Madison, with his serious crush potential, is one stoner we’ve all aspired to be. He’s got it all, the fortune, the perfect lady, an endless supply of weed, and he can spell at a second grade level to boot!
Knocked Up
A quintessential coming of age stoner story, centred around a one night stand. Featuring a stereotypical man-child stoner, Ben, and a straight as they come, now pregnant, Alison. Ben is forced to somewhat reduce his bong-smoking ways as the responsibility of being a parent looms. This one also made the list for at least featuring one stoner babe, Ben’s housemate Jodi!
Cheech and Chong: Up in Smoke
You’re not a purveyor of fine stoner films if you don’t know who Cheech and Chong are, or worse, if you know who they are, but haven’t watched their films. Highly hilarious and worth the if only for being the first symbols of stoner culture since since prohibition. Little bit of trivia, they actually met in Vancouver - coincidence, i think not.
Next Friday
Craig and Day Day are getting into all kinds of mischief with the ese’s next door in this stoner sequel. Another turn of the century classic, paired with the original Friday, you have got an epic stoner film session about to be had.
Friday
Arguably the best stoner line ever written, delivered by the funniest stoner Smoky (Chris Tucker), it made it’s appearance in this 1995 stoner classic, and you know what it is...
“Ima get you high today, coz It’s friday, you ain’t got no job, and you aint got shit to do”.
Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob, the local corner store drug dealers, embark on a mission to stop the production of a hollywood blockbuster that will, in their eyes, sully their good names. But all is not as it seems with this unlikely duo, with Silent Bob being a low key stoner genius and Jay in stark contrast to his abysmal womanising skills, being thoroughly bisexual (as per his wikipedia page, so it must be true).
Super Troopers
Well meow, as far as stoner movies go, what kind of list would this be without an epic good cop, bad cop marijuana drug bust showdown. Meow go ahead, sit back and relax while enjoying this stoner classic. Meow.
Scary Movie
Featuring Shorty Meeks, your everyday, run of the mill, classic stoner character, who is high AF 24/7. Not only is shorty a bud devotee, he also boasts some serious talent in finding alternative ways to get high when you run out of rolling papers. WHAAASUUUP!!
Half Baked
A heavy hitter in the word of stoner comedy, you can count on Dave Chappelle to come up with the line ‘we are not drug dealers, we’re fundraisers’.
The Big Lebowski
There’s good reason this film is a cult classic. It’s central character, the chillest stoner to ever live, The Dude, inspired a religion: “Dudesim, An ancient philosophy that preaches non-preachiness, practices as little as possible, and above all, uh…lost my train of thought there. Anyway, if you’d like to find peace on earth and goodwill, man, we’ll help you get started. Right after a little nap.
Pineapple Express
The movie that inspired a strain. Need I say more?