It’s about that time of year again—4/20—when some choose to get lifted and indulge in their cannabis product of choice. Legally, of course (wink).
As smokers and tokers across the world light up Saturday to commemorate the international counter-culture holiday, here are a few flicks that won’t kill the vibe.
Our list includes films such as Friday, where Chris Tucker portrayed a weed-loving seller named Smokey, and How High, a stoner film starring Method Man and Redman.
You honestly can’t go wrong with these films, especially if you want to plan a little smoke and chill night.
01
Friday
Former gangsta rapper Ice Cube and rising comedian Chris Tucker fronted and co-wrote this 1995 F. Gary Gray-helmed cult classic set in South Central, Los Angeles. It centered on a day in the life of two stoop-dwelling, weed-smoking homeboys who have to come up with a way to pay their boss $200 by 10 p.m. With memorable appearances by Nia Long, Tiny Lister, Jr., Bernie Mac, John Witherspoon and Anna Maria Horsford, Friday became a sleeper hit, which became the springboard for its own franchise.
02
How High
Chart-topping rappers Redman and Method Man starred in this 2001 farce, playing underachieving stoners who end up at Harvard University after using a dead friend’s ashes as fertilizer for a new batch of marijuana. Also starring Mike Epps, Lark Vorhees and Obba Babatundé, the Danny Devito-produced comedy is considered one of the quintessential stoner flicks of the hip-hop era, thanks in large part to the music spurred from its soundtrack. A sequel, How High 2, premiered Saturday on MTV.
03
Half Baked
Before he became a household name through his eponymous Comedy Central series, an upstart Dave Chappelle appeared in Half Baked. For the 1998 Tamra Davis-directed stoner comedy, the Chocolate City native portrayed a janitor at a medical facility where a scientist gives him some powerfully potent pot. After sharing it with his roommates, one ends up in jail and the trio end up becoming drug dealers to bail him out.
04
The Wash
West coast hip hop kingpins Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre starred in DJ Pooh’s update on the 1976 blaxploitation classic Car Wash. As with all of the “Gin & Juice” rapper’s projects, the haphazard comedy was blunt-friendly. Snoop plays the troublemaking, drug dealing stoner roommate of Dre’s more straight-laced, by-the-book type of guy, who has to work at the same car wash to avoid eviction. But of course trouble ensues. Hip-hoppers Eminem, Ludacris, Xzibit, Kurupt and Daz Dillinger also make appearances.
05
Puff, Puff, Pass
This low-budget crime comedy flick was co-produced by Will Packer and directed Mekhi Phifer, who also stars as Big Daddy—a wealthy and shady acquaintance of pot-smoking characters played by Danny Masterson and Ronnie Warner. Terry Crews starred as aspiring rapper Cool Crush Ice Killa vying to buy an expensive collection of antique coins. Sitcom faves Jaleel White, Rachel True and Lavan Davis also appear.
