Toke of the Town - The Top 10 Stoner Movies Of All Time

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D.C. Medical Marijuana Law Clears Congress

Stoner Photos of the Day: Sunny Sunshine

The Top 10 Stoner Movies Of All Time

By Steve Elliott in Culture, Products

Thursday, Feb. 25 2010 @ 5:22PM

Up In Smoke

The pot flick has practically become a genre unto itself. Stoner movies, expressly designed for enjoyment under herbally enhanced conditions, should have their own aisle at Blockbuster.

While we're waiting for that to happen, though, let's take a moment to bask in the euphoric glow of accomplishment. Cannabis cinema has established a track record of success and marketability much like the herb itself.

Given the passionate loyalty potheads feel towards their very favorite stoner movies, I'd have to be ape-shit crazy to put myself in the line of fire, subjecting myself to the ire, the scorn and the second-guessing of my blunted but opinionated brethren.

So if you think I'm high enough to even try that... OK, OK. Good point.

Here are my Top 10.

(Got any suggestions/additions? Put them in the comments below. Who says we aren't crazy enough to make another list?!)

10. Reefer Madness [1936]

This overwrought, horribly written, atrociously acted cautionary tale from 1936 did a lot of harm in its day.
Some even blame it for the passage, the following year, of the Marihuana Tax Act, the first national anti-cannabis law in the United States.
It's as if the sensationalistic William Randolph Hearst-style "yellow journalism" has been lifted right off the page and brought to life on the screen, where it's awesomely awful stupidity is only magnified.
Don't forget to indulge in a generous helping of "drug-crazed abandon" before you subject yourself to this steaming pile of trash, so you can have your giggles at the hackneyed "youthful marijuana victims."
Yes, the main thing it's good for these days -- and hell, for at least the past 40 years -- is unintentional comedy.
How on Earth did they ever manage to get it this wrong?

9. Humboldt County [2008]

www.humboldtcountymovie.com

A disillusioned and frustrated medical student (played by Jeremy Strong) finds himself stranded in the Emerald Triangle for the summer in a rural community of Northern California pot farmers.
Not unpredictably, a voyage of self-discovery ensues -- punctuated, of course, by inter-farmer rivalries, law enforcement raids on the fields, and bountiful Northern California hippie weirdness.
Humboldt County got mixed reviews, but the picture gets major bonus points for casting crazy-eyed smokin' hot pot hottie Fairuza Balk as "Bogart," (get it?) the female lead.
For Fairuza, all shortcomings are forgiven.
Not only is she sexy, beautiful, and talented, but Miss Balk is also a bonafide, real-life cannabis activist, appearing at (and even hosting) benefits for the Marijuana Policy Project and other good organizations.

8. The Big Lebowski [1998]

This Coen Brothers classic features the immortal performance of Jeff Bridges as Dude, whose essential Dudeness has become the stuff of stoner legend -- in other words, something towards which we all can aspire, man.
You may be of a quibbling, analytical bent and are thus thinking, "But I'm not sure Lebowski is really a pot movie at all."
To that, my intellectual friend, I respond: "The Dude Abides."
The Big Lebowski is so shot through with Dude-ism, stoned existentialism and high humor, it's practically a consciousness altering drug even without the weed scenes -- and yeah, there are definitely some of those.
For those fortunate cinemaphiles who have figured out that Steve Buscemi may well be God, yes, he's in Lebowski, and yes, he's up to his usual standards.
Be advised that watching this movie may instill within you the sudden and irrational desire to put on your very sloppiest clothes and go bowling.

7. Half Baked [1998]

Stoner stereotypes shouldn't still be this funny -- but it's almost impossible not to laugh at the clueless potheads who populate Half Baked.
Dave Chappelle's comedy breakthrough grabbed that brass ring of stoner movies: Creating a whole new term for smoking pot.
Chappelle's quote from the film, "I wanna talk to Samson!" created a popular slang term for getting high, appearing (among other places) on J Dilla's bumpin' track "Crushin' (Yeeeeah!)".
Thurgood (Chappelle) and his friends Brian (Jim Breuer) and Scarface (Guillermo Diaz) sell marijuana stolen from the lab where Thurgood works as a janitor in order to bail their friend Kenny (Harland Williams) out of jail, after he accidentally kills a horse by feeding it junk food.
Soon, all of their lives are in danger when local drug lord Samson Simpson finds out our heroes are costing him business, including his former client, rapper Sir Smokes Alot.
Just fast forward through the wimp-ass ending where Thurgood gives up smoking pot in order to win back his girlfriend Mary Jane. (Chappelle reportedly complained after the movie was completed, saying that studio re-writes had turned what was originally a much better movie into "a pot movie for kids.")
There are plenty of cameos not to miss including Jon Stewart, Steven Wright, weed-hating Stephen Baldwin, Bob Saget, Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, and the immortal Tommy Chong.

6. Dazed and Confused [1993]

Dazed and Confused is writer/director Richard Linklater's quintessential movie about coming of age high in the 1970s.
The film was a career-maker for Matthew McConaughey as David Wooderson, the has-been-at-20 ex-football star who likes high school girls "because I get older, but they stay the same age."
Also unforgettable was Rory Cochrane in his convincing (method acting?) portrayal of uber-stoner Ron Slater, whose (I'm guessing) ad-libbed weed-induced insights on such subjects as the hipness of Martha Washington were "high" points of the film.
"Behind every good man there is a woman, and that woman was Martha Washington, man, and everyday George would come home, she would have a big fat bowl waiting for him, man, when he come in the door, man, she was a hip, hip, hip lady, man." ~ Ron Slater
Keep your eyes open for the delectable Milla Jovovich and also for future gossip rag fave Ben Affleck, who at the time had never boinked Jennifer Aniston, and wasn't yet the boffo box office megastar he is today. (Click on the link below to see the Top 5.)

Tags: culture, movies, products

23 comments

Comments

The Discerning Toker said:

Personally, I find movies that are just trippy visually to watch when you're high and have great plots and music are better than movies that have all these literal, juvenile pot references through the whole film. I mean, "Half Baked"? You gotta move past the Cheech & Chong phase, man! There's a lot of stony films out there better than that!

Of all those listed, I'd say "The Big Lebowski" was number one!

Posted 02/25/2010 at 06:21:52 PM

alapoet replied to The Discerning Toker:

I don't have to get past the Cheech and Chong phase, dude. Those are good movies, and I enjoy them = no problem.

Does that mean I watch *only* Cheech and Chong movies? Of course not!

Does that mean I *don't* watch movies with trippy visuals? Of course not!

But those aren't "stoner movies." Those are "movies that are great to watch while you're high."

Different list.

Posted 02/25/2010 at 06:34:30 PM

Johnny replied to The Discerning Toker:

Thats right dude. Art is trippy by nature

Posted 03/14/2010 at 11:04:13 AM

Bobby Jackson said:

This is a great list, Steve. Two others I'd like to submit for an extended list are...
"Dude, Where's My Car?" (which you mentioned in your article)
and
"Homegrown" Starring Billy Bob Thornton; Hank Azaria; Ryan Phillippe; Jamie Lee Curtis; John Lithgow; Ted Danson; Judge Reinhold; Kelly Lynch; and Jon Bon Jovi.

Keep up the great work! ;o)

Posted 02/25/2010 at 06:33:12 PM

Sparket said:

There 18 pot movies from this link if u interested.
http://cannabistv.org/videos.html

Posted 02/25/2010 at 08:35:00 PM

THE INDIVIDUALS said:

YOU GOT IT RIGHT!

Posted 02/26/2010 at 12:33:03 AM

MaryJane Cannabian said:

I'm so glad Humboldt County is on your list, it's one of my all time favourite movies, Stoner or otherwise. It includes one of my favourite movie scenes ever too - the discussion about "Sitting Idle".

Good list all around though! The only one I feel that's missing is "Smiley Face" with Anna Ferris. :-) And leaving Half Baked off would have been blasphemous, no Stoner Movie List is complete with out it!

Posted 02/26/2010 at 03:28:28 PM

MaryJane Cannabian said:

Oh my, and I almost forgot - "Grandma's Boy"!!! That one is in my Top 3!!!

Posted 02/26/2010 at 03:32:11 PM

Sebastian said:

This is a monster stoner movie list. Good job dude, nice writing. The only two movies I would've liked to see on the list are Grandma's Boy and Surfer, Dude (one of my favorites). Other than that, I think it's a classic list that accurately represents the core of the stoner culture. Sweet!

Posted 02/26/2010 at 04:12:50 PM

Darral Good said:

If I chose the list I would remove Pineapple Express- it's no really a stoner movie it's a funny take on WAR! and insert EASY RIDER
other than that it is almost perfect -
it seems that all movies are stoner movies these days even Harry Potter!

http://www.sling.com/blog/tag-harry%20potter
I hope everyone has a good time at the movies this weekend!

Posted 02/26/2010 at 05:24:03 PM

anon said:

no bong water brah?

Posted 02/27/2010 at 03:07:51 AM

Lira said:

Easy Rider, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?

just to start

Posted 03/01/2010 at 05:22:48 PM

kf said:

i totally agree w/ all of these, smiley face should be on there too. great list !

Posted 03/01/2010 at 11:08:58 PM

klebowski replied to kf:

helll yeah smiley face just watched that movie!!!

Posted 05/18/2010 at 06:02:47 PM

todd said:

Here are 101 of the best stoner movies of all time www.dankmovie.com also here are the best stoner documentaries of all time http://www.dankmovie.com/Dank_Documentary.html

Posted 03/03/2010 at 12:40:00 AM

Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ replied to todd:

"Site off-line:
dankmovie.com is currently under maintenance. We should be back shortly. Thank you for your patience."

Posted 03/07/2010 at 01:00:25 PM

reallydifferent said:

Ummm... Super Troopers anyone?

Posted 03/04/2010 at 08:06:27 PM

KIU23 said:

We share all those and 40 more on www.420project.org. Check our IRC channel

Posted 03/07/2010 at 08:41:40 AM

Johnny Green said:

For another list, and some honorable mentions, go to http://www.theweedblog.com/top-stoner-movies-of-all-time/

Posted 03/12/2010 at 02:21:00 PM

Charlie said:

What about Detroit Rock City??????

Grandma's Boy???

Posted 06/17/2010 at 03:51:18 PM

Ad replied to Charlie:

same here

Posted 07/10/2010 at 04:01:08 AM

Ad said:

iam an old stoner from way back (DRUG FUCKED) its all fucken good.dude BONG ON ALL.

Posted 07/10/2010 at 03:54:46 AM

the dude said:

wtf where is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas???
its like the greatest movie of all time

Posted 07/13/2010 at 01:39:12 PM

Cannabis news, rumor and humor

Edited by Steve Elliott

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Congress May Double Penalties For Pot Brownies

D.C. Medical Marijuana Law Clears Congress

Stoner Photos of the Day: Sunny Sunshine

The Top 10 Stoner Movies Of All Time

Comments

The Discerning Toker said:

alapoet replied to The Discerning Toker:

Johnny replied to The Discerning Toker:

Bobby Jackson said:

Sparket said:

THE INDIVIDUALS said:

MaryJane Cannabian said:

MaryJane Cannabian said:

Sebastian said:

Darral Good said:

anon said:

Lira said:

kf said:

klebowski replied to kf:

todd said:

Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ replied to todd:

reallydifferent said:

KIU23 said:

Johnny Green said:

Charlie said:

Ad replied to Charlie:

Ad said:

the dude said:

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