The snacks are ready, the lights are low, and your couch is beckoning… But it’s not just another movie night. We’ve all heard of Harold and Kumar, our good ole’ friends Cheech and Chong, and you may have even rolled your eyes through Dude Where’s My Car, but it’s a new era! There’s a higher standard for movies, as well as a higher standard for quality cannabis. Whether you have a bowl packed, a vape pen charged, or cannabutter in your popcorn, pairing cannabis with the art of film can provide for an unforgettable movie night.
1. The Big Lebowski (1998)
This cult classic starring Jeff Bridges is a unique blend of crime and comedy that will you ensnare you with its compelling storyline and characters, and have you snorting with laughter. Follow The Dude through his journey of life, bowling, kidnapping, ruined rugs, and bathtub joints. With cannabis, this movie feels like a hilarious and exciting adventure.
2. Spirited Away (2001)
If you’re an anime fan, or even if you aren’t, anything by Hayao Miyazaki is simply magical. Spirited Away is a wonderland of characters, colors, and a nod to a truly psychedelic experience. There is no limit to the imagination of the story, and the animation is detail-rich reinforcing the precision of his fantasy world. This film is breath-taking, and while watching high, you will appreciate the new perspective and watch with an open mind, and an open heart.
3. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
This movie is amazing while sober, and ten times better while high! This epic Scorsese film follows a true story of ego, ambition, and greed in the early nineties on Wall St., New York. While it follows the lives of stockbrokers, this movie is anything but boring. You’ll find debauchery, drugs, alcohol, sex, swearing, swindling, and a lot of boobs. However, be sure that you’re ready to dedicate some time to this movie, three hours to be exact.
4. Friday (1995)
N.W.A. rapper Ice Cube played his first comical role in this film that he co-wrote with one of his previous musical collaborators, DJ Pooh. This hysterical cult classic begins with Ice Cube’s character managing to get fired on his day off. He then spends the rest of his day with his outrageous friend Smokey (who was supposed to sell $200 worth of weed, but ends up smoking it instead…oops) and attempting to avoid his dad and the impending lecture about getting another job. Friday includes an extensive hip-hop and RB&B soundtrack, featuring tracks by greats such as Dr. Dre, Cypress Hill, The Isley Brothers, and Rose Royce.
5. This is the End (2013)
In this hilarious apocalyptic horror comedy, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Robinson, Franco, and Rogen all play comically exaggerated versions of themselves. As the world as they know it ends, the actors struggle to get along, to ration resources, and to survive. If you’re already a fan of these actors, you’ll have a blast peeking into their somewhat genuine platonic relationships, and mocking their magnified tabloid-based personas. In interviews about filming the film, Rogen and Baruchel both agreed that cannabis was their biggest vice.
Enjoying cannabis with a movie opens a refreshing new way to enjoy the movies we already know and love, as well as any newcomers that we’re willing to give a chance to. When all else fails, there’s nothing quite like sparking a joint and enjoying a timeless Cheech and Chong movie to feel like the real deal.