Shubhabrata Dutta
Stoner movies use a lot of psychedelic lighting and surrealism to reach their desired intentions of giving the audience a trippy experience. Drug use has always had its effects on culture. When we look at the Beat Generation poets’ and writers’ works, we get a picture of how the use of drugs affected their worldview. Even the hippie movement propagated the use of drugs to expand our consciousness. This phenomenon probably occurred due to the youth’s disenchantment with the government and society during the Vietnam War. Over the years, stoner movies have developed as a genre in itself. Prime Video’s vast collection of titles offers some great options to viewers looking for trippy movies to entertain them.
13. Dumb and Dumber To (2014)
The sequel to the cult comedy film ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ the Farrelly brothers’ ‘Dumb and Dumber To’ shows Harry Dunne getting his acting-catatonic best friend, Lloyd Christmas, out of a mental institution and setting off on a quest to find Harry’s estranged daughter, Fanny. The dimwit duo travel to Oxford, where Fanny is, but they seem to be too dumb for a place that has some of the world’s most intelligent minds. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are masters of comedy and bring back their nonsensical charm and chemistry, giving us a fill of stoned humor we never knew we needed. ‘Dumb and Dumber To’ can be streamed here.
12. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)
Directed by Kevin Smith, ‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot’ is the eighth film in the Smith’s ‘View Askewniverse.’ The comedy centers on the two titular stoners (Jason Mewes and Smith) who set off on a road trip to Los Angeles to stop the production of a film as an act of revenge after they lose a legal case to the production house. Their experiences and exploits along the way, as they meet weird and eccentric characters, some of who are their friends, make the movie a bizarre and whacky experience.
With an ensemble cast, including Harley Quinn Smith, Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Joe Manganiello, and Justin Long, and a bizarre story, ‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot’ qualifies as a true-to-form stoner comedy. You can watch it right here.
11. Mac & Devin Go to High School (2012)
Directed by Dylan C. Brown and Dylan Brown, ‘Mac & Devin Go to High School’ stars rap legends Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. The film follows two high school students, Mac, a 15th-year senior stoner, and Dev, a valedictorian, whom fate brings together, and Mac starts to teach Devin how to smoke pot. The repercussions of their “high” standards are what contribute to the film’s nature as a stoner comedy that is mindless and whacky. Co-starring Mike Epps, Mystikal, and Luenell, ‘Mac & Devin Go to High School’ is a true-to-form addition to the genre and a must-have on any stoner movie list ever. You can watch it here.
10. Oliver, Stoned (2014)
26-year-old Oliver is one of the world’s biggest stoners, which basically means that he is stoned almost all the time. In that state, he loses a client’s fancy car after being distracted by an ice cream truck. The car is stolen by another e-cigarette enthusiast, and Oliver, who has a knack for ruining the simplest tasks, steals the truck. Why? Maybe for revenge or to get the car back. In his endeavor, he is joined by his weed supplier friend, Benson, and a young lady named Megan, whose scooter Oliver ran over with the truck. As the stakes get higher, so does Oliver, and things get complicated. ‘Oliver, Stoned’ is directed by Tom Morris and stars Seth Cassell as Oliver, Jim Mahoney as Benson, and Brea Grant as Megan. You can watch the movie here.
9. The Stöned Age (1994)
A most random stoner comedy directed by James Melkonian, ‘The Stöned Age’ is set over the course of a single night. It centers on Michael Hubbs (Bradford Tatum) and Joe Connolly (Michael Kopelow), two stoneheads, and their exploits as they roam around Los Angeles, looking for parties, alcohol, weed, and women. The film is a quintessential 90s stoner comedy, filled with gags, characters, and outright illogical stuff that surprisingly make sense within the film’s narrative. If you are looking for a film you only want to enjoy with your friends without applying your brains, you can watch ‘The Stöned Age’ right here.
8. The Mandela Effect (2019)
Directed by David Guy Levy, ‘The Mandela Effect’ refers to a psychological phenomenon where a person has a false memory of something that never happened. In the movie, computer game designer Brendan (Charlie Hofheimer) and his wife, Claire (Aleksa Palladino), mourn the loss of their daughter, Sam. Brendan and his brother-in-law Matt (Robin Lord Taylor) realize that they both have false memories (or the Mandela Effect) involving Sam, leading them to conclude what they experienced was a glimpse of a parallel universe where Sam is alive. Despite Claire and Matt’s objections, Brendan reaches out to Dr. Roland Fuchs, who has done extensive research on the subject and has been ostracized by the scientific community because of it. Feel free to check out the movie here.
7. Sunshine Hotel (2001)
The documentary’s title refers to the eponymous flophouse at 245 Bowery in Manhattan, New York City. Filmmaker Michael Dominic’s documentary explores the history of Sunshine and the lives of the people there. Dominic was an employee of Sunshine for a period, so he had a personal connection to the place, which helped him delve deep into the subject matter of his project. Upon its release, the documentary was well-received by critics and won several awards. The hotel’s 16-year-old manager, Nathan Smith, is the project’s narrator. He passed away in 2002 due to cancer. You can watch ‘Sunshine Hotel’ here.
6. Green is Gold (2016)
Written and directed by Ryon Baxter, ‘Green is Gold’ is the story of two brothers whose lives get complicated because one of them has a rather dangerous business to sustain. Baxter himself plays the leading character, Cameron, who has to take care of his 13-year-old brother Mason after their father gets arrested and eventually imprisoned. However, Cameron is a marijuana dealer who grows the plant in his home. His business keeps Cameron busy, and he cannot look after his brother. It is only when Mason himself gets interested in learning the tricks of proper marijuana cultivation that the brothers begin to bond once again. You may watch ‘Green is Gold’ here.
5. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
‘The Electrical Life of Louis Wain’ is a biographical film about artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch). Following the death of his father, the responsibility of sustaining his family falls on the shoulders of Louis, who gives up his unsuccessful pursuit of music and playwriting to become a full-time illustrator for The Illustrated London News under editor Sir William Ingram. He hires Emily Richardson (Claire Foy) as the new governess for his sisters. Although she is ten years older than him, Louis falls in love with her, and his feelings are reciprocated. However, she is diagnosed with breast cancer a few months later. This is when Louis starts to paint pictures of his family cat, Peter. As Emily’s condition deteriorates, Louis’ paintings take an anthropomorphic turn. Visually stunning, thanks to Louis Wain’s You eccentric paintings that director Will Sharpe extends to use as a thematic element, ‘The Electrical Life of Louis Wain’ can be streamed right here.
4. The Culture High (2014)
For stoners, knowing more about their “stuff” is no doubt fascinating. This is why ‘The Culture High’ is important. Directed by Brett Harvey, this documentary brings together agents, celebrities, professors, and experts from different forms of life to address the long-ongoing debate about marijuana legalization in America and the war on drugs. These include Joe Rogan (UFC commentator, podcaster), Snoop Dogg (World-renowned rapper), Richard Branson (founder, Virgin Group), Gabor Maté (addiction expert, author), and Howard Marks (drug smuggler, author), among others. The viewers also come across stories from people whose lives were changed due to the war. In this way, the film showcases an intriguing topic that is no less than a commentary on the very duplicity of human nature. You can stream it here.
3. The Wave (2020)
Directed by Gille Klabin, ‘The Wave’ is a trippy exploration of consciousness and time. Frank (Justin Long) is an insurance lawyer who has found a flaw in the $4M insurance policy of a firefighter who passed away from a heart attack. After an argument with his wife, Frank goes out to celebrate with his co-worker Jeff (Donald Faison) to a club named El Madrid, where they meet two women named Natalie (Katia Winter) and Theresa (Sheila Vand). The four of them then head to a house party, where they purchase hallucinogenic drugs from a man calling himself Aeolus (Tommy Flanagan). As Theresa helps Frank get the drug into his system, he begins a wild journey where his consciousness travels back and forth through time. Ensuring a rare experience for stoners, ‘The Wave’ can be watched here.
2. The Honor Farm (2017)
A Karen Skloss directorial venture, ‘The Honor Farm’ tells the story of best friends Lucy and Anne, who made elaborate plans for the prom night. But their dates become so drunk during the prom that the girls have no choice but to cancel their plans. This is when their classmate Laila arrives with Shanti and Zoe and convinces Lucy and Anne to come along to experience a night they will never forget. They are soon joined by three boys, JD, Liam, and Jesse. Their plans for the night involve taking some mushrooms and holding a séance at the eponymous Honor Farm, an old, abandoned, and dilapidated prison with the reputation of being haunted. You can check out the film here.
1. Smiley Face (2007)
The whacky, nonsensical stoner comedy is directed by Gregg Araki. It stars Anna Faris as Jane, a struggling actress who lives and breathes weed. She is all set to embark on her set of tasks for the day, including an audition. However, after unknowingly eating her roommate’s weed-laced cupcakes, her tasks become misadventures as she tries to make sense of Los Angeles, underscored by a drug dealer’s threat, a chase by the police, and a meat-packing facility, and Karl Marx’s book, ‘The Communist Manifesto.’ Considered one of the funniest movies of 2007, ‘Smiley Face’ makes a no-holds-barred use of Faris’ comedic skills. She even won the “Stoner of the Year” award at the 2007 Stony Awards (created by High Times magazine) for the role. You can watch the movie here.
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