Have you Ever Seen Movies . . . “On Weed”?

There are so many unique and wonderful characters in the film Half-Baked. Harland Williams’ Kenny and Jim Breuer’s Brian are immediate classics who will never stop being funny. However, for me it’s Jon Stewart’s “Enhancement Smoker” that always kills me. If you haven’t seen the movie, Stewart’s character is insistent that everything is better “on weed.” Come to think of it, if you haven’t seen Half-Baked, stop reading, light one up, watch it and come back.

Alright, now that we are on the same page I wanted to discuss a few films that are enhanced by a little cannabis in your system. This is because Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets hits theaters today, and it is a visual smorgasbord. I was mesmerized from minute one of Luc Besson’s ambitious adaptation of the iconic comic that inspired the likes of Star Wars and Blade Runner.  Of course, Besson is no stranger to unique visuals and trippy concepts. He is after all the brain trust behind The Fifth Element, Lucy and The Professional. Needless to say, it’s one of those movies that, if using the right strain of cannabis, can offer quite an experience.

However if you’re not feeling like rushing to the theater, there are a variety of other movies that can do the trick too. So let’s play a game. Have you ever seen these movies “on weed”?

Inception

Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece is an intense visual journey full of questions and half-truths. Nolan is one of the only film makers working today who doesn’t hold his audiences hands, and that is on full display in Inception. Where do dreams stop and the real world begins? Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of the best performances of his life, and the stunning visuals of buildings moving and rearranging will delight your cerebellum. The ending is ambiguous on purpose, but maybe, just maybe you’ll gleam something extra from it.

Edge of Tomorrow

Live. Die. Repeat. Might not sound like a fun romp at the multiplex, but Director Doug Liman really grabs you by the arm and leads you on an amazing journey. Star Tom Cruise is at his best as a soldier who repeats the same day over and over every time he dies in battle. What is really great is to see how Cruise and co-star Emily Blunt learn and get better with each ensuing death. Going from lasting seconds in battle to becoming one of the biggest bad-asses on the battlefield.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World

Edgar Wright has made some great films that tested the boundary of visual absurdity and outlandish characters, Shaun of the Dead and The World’s Endcome to mind, but nothing holds a candle to the whimsical mayhem that is Scott Pilgrim vs The World. The nonsensical plot of having to defeat a girl’s seven evil exes in order to date her is not only ludicrous, it’s ingenious and delightful. I mean one of the exes uses “vegan powers” and is only defeated when Scott tricks him into drinking dairy, thus forcing the “vegan police” to come and take his powers away.

Batman & Robin

Stay with me here. Batman and Robin is one of the seminally terrible films, and mankind is worse for its existence. I mean not only did director Joel Schumaker put nipples on the batsuit, but he gave batgirl’s suit a thong. I’m not going to lie to you and say that the film is good under the influence of cannabis, but I will promise you that it is the funniest thing you will ever watch if you are in the right mood, and fortunately for George Clooney, Uma Thurman and Arnold Schwarzenegger, cannabis is the one substance on Earth that can enhance your enjoyment of this train wreck. With the right cannabis, you’ll be rolling on the floor at every one of Mr. Freeze’s ice puns. Just make sure everyone you are with knows that you’re under the influence, so they don’t mistakenly think you like the film.

What about you, what do you like to watch after indulging in a little cannabis? Let us know on Twitter @iReadCulture.