50 Smart Movies to Watch When You’re High
Watching movies and smoking weed go hand in hand, so much so that there is an entire subgenre of movies known as stoner comedies—typically movies about drug addicts getting drunk or getting caught looking for the next high. surreal adventures along the way. (My favorite work: Gregg Araki’s Smiling Face , in which Anna Faris gives an Oscar-worthy turn.)
These movies are perfectly fine—there’s nothing wrong with watching Half Baked in its entirety—but sometimes you want to feed your pot-addled brain something more complex. In the spirit of the 1960s hippies who turned Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey into a head-turning classic, here are 50 unconventional films to watch when you’re high (and not in the mood to watch video games ).
Vampire (1932)
Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer’s first talkie plays out almost without dialogue, a disorienting, dark fable filmed at the same time as Tod Browning’s Dracula , but offering a much creepier, chillingly atmospheric take on the gothic fable. Shrouded in mist and dreamlike imagery, its attraction is hypnotic.
Where to stream: Max, The Criterion Channel, ScreamBox.
Pinocchio (1940)
The best film from Disney’s classic era is both touching and heartbreaking; It’s crazy that every frame was drawn by hand. It’s also a lot more confusing than you remember.
Where to watch: Disney+.
His Girl Friday (1940)
Speaking of screwball comedy, the genre’s frenetic energy and grating dialogue make it ideal for giggling drug addicts, and this frenetic romance about feuding newspaper editors and ex-lovers played by Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell may be one of the most dynamic yet. the wittiest films ever made. Where to watch: Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Tubi, pretty much everywhere.
Beauty and the Beast (1946)
Hmm, basically everything I said about the Vampire , but transferred to Beauty and the Beast . This 1946 treasure from French poet and director Jean Cocteau follows the same basic storylines as the Disney film, but is stranger, with impressionistic sets (a hall lined with candelabra made from real human hands), lavish costumes and dreamlike imagery.
Where to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel, Tubi
Red Shoes (1948)
Co-directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, collectively known as The Archers, are considered some of the most stunningly beautiful color films ever made. It’s a behind-the-scenes ballet drama about a child prodigy and an obsessive, overbearing woman. the mad impresario whose pursuit of perfection drives her mad is their crowning achievement, especially their impressionistic 17-minute production of a ballet based on the titular fairy tale. Where to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel, The Roku Channel, Tubi, Shout TV, Freevee.
Night of the Hunter (1955)
Speaking of fairy-tale imagery, this tale of two children on the run from a menacing self-proclaimed “preacher” in search of their outlaw father’s ill-gotten gains is a nightmare come to life: a river journey that becomes increasingly surreal. and dangerous (and their pursuer more ruthless) at every turn. Viewers in 1955 didn’t know what to make of it, but today it is rightfully considered a masterpiece of expressionism.
Where to watch: Tubi
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Many die-hards will tell you that Tarkovsky is the best option when you’re baked, but films like Solaris and Stalker are actually not so much trippy as they are… boring. Hypnotically boring, but still. Instead, I’ll take the Shakespeare-meets -Star Trek gravitas of Forbidden Planet , a reimagining of The Tempest set on Altair IV.
Where to watch: Vudu Free, Tubi
The Invention of Destruction (1958)
This anachronistic and artful aquatic adventure was filmed in Czechoslovakia in 1958, and all its hot tricks were on display in the 1902 film A Trip to the Moon.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel.
Black Orpheus (1959)
Set in a Brazilian favela during Carnival, this Palme d’Or-winning adaptation of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is filled with arresting imagery and set to a lilting bossa nova beat. Where to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel, Kanopy.
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Nobody fucks with Angela Lansbury in this trippy, hypnotic Cold War spy thriller.
Where to stream: Tubi, MGM+
Play Time (1967)
Jacques Tati’s third and most famous film starring Monsieur Hulot, a sort of affable everyman in the ubiquitous coat, Play Time is nothing less than a kaleidoscopic vision of “modern” Paris circa 1967, a city that becomes increasingly impersonal as of how technological innovation is designed to make life easier, not divide people. Shot in long, masterfully choreographed takes, with the action unfolding in and between each corner of the screen, it’s a bit of a rewinding of Where’s Waldo? the drawing comes to life. If you like to get high and hyper-concentrate, this will definitely keep you busy.
Where to watch: The Criterion Channel, Kanopy.
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
“I treat Ancient Rome as if it were a documentary about the customs and habits of the Martians,” said director Federico Fellini of this phantasmagoric, hedonistic portrait of the past—a nightmarish journey through a decadent republic, based on a play written during the reign of Emperor Nero, unfolding in episodic, logical dream narratives. (Not recommended if you are prone to bad trips.)
Where to watch: Officially nowhere, but the entire film (with subtitles) can be found on YouTube.
Donkey Skin (1970)
French director Jacques Demy has created plenty of candy-colored musical delights that will make you want to drink while drunk, but my bet goes to this dark adaptation of Charles Perrault’s fairy tale about a king who wants to marry his own daughter (probably because she’s played by Catherine Deneuve ). The visual design itself is worthy of the strongest tastes – take a look at the dress, made from the same material as the movie screen on which the sky filled with clouds is projected.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel.
Fantastic Planet (1973)
This experimental animated feature film, a French-Czech co-production, takes place on an alien world inhabited by giants who treat humans like mindless animals. The plot is somewhat minor, but the animation is sparse, creepy, surreal and unforgettable, especially if you view it while your brain is marinating in THC.
Where to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel, The Roku Channel.
Blood for Dracula (1974)
I’m not one for watching horror while under the influence, but this stilted, gore-soaked farce by pop artist Andy Warhol leans closer to comedy as it tells the story of an aging succubus (Udo Kier) seeking virgin blood to preserve his immortality. and there was a shortage of virgins in early 20th century Italy. The stilted acting and low-budget baked-in charm are doubly appealing.
Where to watch: The Criterion Channel, Vudu Free, Night Flight Plus, Tubi
Zardoz (1975)
This legendary misfire is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi allegory inspired by The Wizard of Oz, in which an orange-nappy-clad Sean Connery is captured by a giant flying stone head that eats people. Or something. Director John Boorman cashed his blank Liberation check to make this thing, and it’s hard to understand why, but you’ll never get bored watching it (or trying to make sense of the confusing message).
Where to watch: digital rental.
Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
Before Brian De Palma took a deep dive into modern Hitchcock thrillers like Sisters and Body Double , he made this super weird rock opera pastiche based on The Phantom of the Opera but swapping out the ’70s glam rock and adding a hearty dose of The Portrait of Dorian. Grey.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Tommy (1975)
The Who and Ken Russell’s Tommy are a rock opera without cannabis…
Where to watch: digital rental.
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
…but if you don’t like The Who’s music, watch Rocky Horror Pictures. Best with a crowd, but if you don’t have a crowd, a little THC will do.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Home (1977)
I would say that I don’t want to say anything that might spoil the inexplicable surprises that this Japanese cult classic delivers, but I still have no idea how to describe this film. Except that “legendarily weird Japanese haunted house movie” is just scratching the surface.
Where to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel
The Shining (1980)
Look, it was really hard to pick just one Kubrick, okay? This is where I landed.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
There’s no plot to follow, just slow-motion shots of American cities and natural landscapes set against Philip Glass’s driving score. There should probably be a warning not to look at it while operating heavy machinery.
Where to watch: The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Hoopla.
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Listening to music while high is great. Watching movies while high is great. All that follows is that watching what is widely considered the best concert film ever made—Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme’s recording of the Speaking in Tongues -era Talking Heads tour—is doubly great. It’s just math. (If you can’t make it this year, you’ll at least be prepared for A24’s upcoming 4K re-release .)
Where to watch: Digital purchase.
After Closing (1985)
Griffin Dunne has a very strange night in this mid-career Martin Scorsese romp that was originally supposed to be directed by Tim Burton, if that tells you anything. Dunn plays an office drone who encounters the strangest nightlife in Manhattan in 1985 while trying to get home from SoHo. New York used to be cool.
Where to watch: The Roku Channel, The Criterion Channel, Tubi.
Tampopo (1985)
Juzo Itami’s Ramen Western translates familiar stereotypes of bandits and heroes into the story of a woman who can’t cook but searches for the perfect noodle recipe to keep her struggling restaurant afloat. It’s a breakneck, episodic, fourth-wall-breaking satire that’s designed for an amateur’s attention span, and not a scene is complete without some delicious-looking food on screen, so keep snacks handy. (But pay attention to the raw egg part.)
Where to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
A preference for heightened, melodramatic plotting and vibrant visuals makes almost any Pedro Almodóvar film a delightful experience while he’s high, so I chose this one, the craziest and funniest: a screwball romantic farce filled with broad characters making one very bad decision. after another.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Slacker (1990)
In his plotless, charming, aimlessly philosophical debut, Richard Linklater follows a group of unique esotericists as they struggle to keep Austin weird in 1991. (Or, if you prefer, the cartoon “Slacker” ).
Where to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel
Chongqing Express (1990)
Like Almodóvar, Wong Kar-wai is another director whose filmography is a junkie’s paradise, and from his completed oeuvre I’ve chosen a strange romantic comedy about two cops looking for love, set in a 24-hour diner in Hong Kong. You will laugh; you will cry; you will faint; this Cantonese version of The Cranberry’s “Dreams” will be stuck in your head for days.
Where to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel
Dick Tracy (1990)
Warren Beatty’s glowing ode to a comic book that no one cared about anymore even 33 years ago, Dick Tracy is laughably over-the-top in every way, from the musical tone that meets Hollywood noir (featuring Stephen Blue Sondheim tunes) to the performances (Al Pacino received a nomination for ” Oscar for “Everything” as the villain Big Boy Caprice), to the absurd prosthetics, to the four-color visual effects of cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, to the presence of Madonna’s former beauty Beatty in the form of Jessica Rabbit mode. This is definitely the strangest movie ever associated with McDonald’s .
Where to watch: digital rental.
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
The Coen Brothers’ most underrated film is a spoof of screwball comedies (no small feat) about a good-natured inventor who leads to his own ruin in his quixotic quest to invent the hula hoop (you know, for kids!). I chose this option over the more obvious Big Lebowski because I’m that cool.
Where to watch: Roku channel, Kanopy.
EXISTENZ (1999)
There’s nothing like getting high to make you pick at the seams of reality, and besides, video games are great, so what better than a Matrix- era David Cronenberg thriller about characters who may or may not be trapped in a dumb narrative , a pulpy video game?
Where to watch: Kanopy, Pluto TV.
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Many people would include Sofia Coppola’s next film, Lost in Translation, on this list. Not me though. I prefer this sun-drenched, slow-burn, nostalgic thriller about a group of doomed sisters and the boys who grow up haunted by their memories. The summer haze of the score (by pop duo Air) will mesmerize you.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Pluto TV.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
I needed to show a David Lynch film here. I chose this one because it’s my favorite: L.A. noir that makes no sense and nothing can be trusted because it’s Hollywood, baby.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel.
Spirited Away (2001)
Everyone has a favorite Ghibli, and this one is mine .
Where to stream: Max
The Saddest Music in the World (2003)
Filled with anachronistic silent-film stunts, Canadian director Guy Maddin’s films are as visually strange as they are narratively strange. Take, for example, this moody comedy about an international competition to determine which country has the most depressing music – a kind of suicide version of Eurovision. The competition will be judged by widowed beer baroness Helen of Port-Huntly, who lost her legs in an erotic car crash (come with me on this one) and now walks around on glass prosthetics filled with beer.
Where to watch: AMC+.
Control (2003)
I love a twisty tale of a broken psyche even when I’m not high, but this Hungarian comedy thriller about a group of ticket clerks who patrol the labyrinths of the Budapest metro after dark and must contend with a spectral killer pushing victims onto the tracks definitely plays better when all your senses are heightened.
Where to watch: Tubi, Pluto TV, Shout TV, Fandor
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
I’ve seen this movie four times, but never sober, which probably explains why I still can’t remember the plot. Which is somewhat appropriate, considering it takes place in the mind of a man whose memories of a bad relationship are being erased in a dubious scientific manner.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Lady Vengeance (2005)
I almost chose the South Korean cult classic Oldboy, but decided to highlight another film from the so-called Revenge trilogy directed by Park Chan Wook. “Lady Vengeance” (also released as “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance”) follows Lee Geum-jae, a misguided ex-con who is released from prison and begins to act as a sort of archangel Amelie for a group of grieving parents, bringing them all together to organize the kidnapping and murder of a man who did terrible things to their children (things for which Lee Geum Ja took the blame). It’s a poignant, contemplative revenge thriller, shot with the same precision as a multi-tiered wedding cake crafted by a master baker.
Where to watch: Tubi, Kanopy, Pluto TV.
Fountain (2006)
Director Darren Aronofsky’s sci-fi film follows a man (Hugh Jackman) as he searches for the source of immortality across lifetimes, centuries, and space-time, and its lush cinematography and metaphysical storytelling are enough to give you a high even if you’re feeling sober.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Short Bus (2006)
This romantic ode to sex positivity and New York from John Cameron Mitchell ( Hedwig and the Angry Inch ) features real sex; it’s like watching porn and a Miranda July movie at the same time.
Where to watch: Mubi, Pluto TV, Night Flight
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
This is a dream? Nightmare? Or fantasy? This story of a girl trying to escape her abusive father in Fascist-era Spain unfolds like a surreal fairy tale, populated by both terrifying and enchanting monsters. This may be writer-director Guillermo del Toro’s most mesmerizing and beautiful film, and it plays even better when you slow down time to take in the details.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Sunshine (2007)
Trainspotting by Danny Boyle is always fun, but if you’re in a more meditative, existential mood, try this forgotten sci-fi flop, which stars pre-Oppenheimer Cillian Murphy as a crewman on a ship who makes a last-ditch attempt to get down to the water. striking our dying sun, thereby reigniting it and saving humanity. The plot is a mixture of hardcore pseudoscience and space thriller, but the atmosphere—the elegiac score by electronic band Underworld and composer John Murphy , the trippy, sun-bleached visuals—will melt your brain.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Detractors like to say that Wes Anderson treats his actors like puppets, but what about a movie where they’re actually puppets ? You’ll be mesmerized as you watch George Clooney’s fur sway in every scene.
Where to stream: Max
A Town Called Panic (2009)
This stop-motion marvel is like what you’d get if you fed your 9-year-old nephew a pound of Pixy Stix, set him free with the contents of an antique toy box, and filmed the result. Cowboy and “Indian” (named Cowboy and the Indian) realize they forgot their friend Horse’s (name: Horse) birthday and embark on a series of farcical adventures in an attempt to give him the perfect gift.
Where to watch: Kanopy, OVID.tv
Tree of Life (2011)
Terrence Malick is known for making films that prioritize story over image; he had never met a drop of dew gathered on a blade of grass illuminated by the sun that he did not find more fascinating than a standard scene of dialogue. It’s this quality that makes his films especially appealing when you’re lit, because you don’t have to pay too close attention to what’s going on when essentially nothing is happening (but also everything is happening – there’s a long sequence depicting the dawn of creation through the demise of the dinosaurs. as if someone had slipped into the film Fantasia ).
Where to watch: Hulu
Holy Motors (2012)
I kind of don’t want to say anything about this. You know what, don’t even watch the trailer. Just eat the edible and light it.
Where to watch: Roku, Vudu, Tubi, Kanopy, pretty much everywhere.
Inherent Vice (2014)
Paul Thomas Anderson is the only person stupid enough to try to translate Thomas Pynchon’s novel to the screen, and you can see why. Joaquin Phoenix plays a private investigator trying to find his missing ex-girlfriend in the Los Angeles underworld. He wanders around in a drunken haze for most of the film, not understanding what’s going on, so you might as well join him – you probably won’t be able to follow the story any better sober.
Where to watch: Paramount+
Suspiria (2018)
I almost included Black Swan here, but I already had the Darren Aronofsky movie on my list, and this Luca Guadagnino remake of the (also weed-worthy) Dario Argento 1977 original will spoil you much more. Dakota Johnson plays an American dancer who enrolls in the exclusive Belin Dance Academy, which is run by a coven of bloodthirsty witches seeking the next vessel for their ancient queen. In fact, this description makes it sound much more normal than it actually seems!
Where to watch: Prime Video, Freevee
Green Knight (2021)
This visual marvel from director David Lowery is the goofiest, most low-key fantasy epic ever: a twisting, jumbled quest through a medieval landscape populated by immortal warriors, wandering giants and talking foxes. The leisurely pace will give you plenty of time to enjoy the visuals.
Where to stream: Max
Everything everywhere and at once (2022)
I can honestly say that catching this incredible Best Picture winner in the theater, lightly toasted, was an experience like no other. Who doesn’t want to watch Michelle Yeoh and Ke Hai Quan jump through an endless, increasingly bizarre universe while being too drunk to keep up?
Where to watch: Netflix