Movies You Gotta Catch: 4/20 Edition 2018!
With the Official Stoner holiday among us we thought we would list a few of our most favorite stoner and non-stoner movies to watch on this special holiday! Being that we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Cheech and Chong’s ‘Up In Smoke’ we decided to start that at the top our list.
Make sure however you celebrate you do so responsibly and we hope you enjoy our list of Movies You Gotta Catch 420 Edition 2018!
Name: Up In Smoke
Directed by: Lou Adler, Tommy Chong (Uncredited)
Year: 1978
Genre: Comedy
Starring: Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong
PLOT:
Two stoners, PEDRO DE PACAS and ANTHONY ‘MAN’ STONER, are down on their luck when fate cross their paths. Stoner was just kicked out of his rich parents house and is cross-dressing to get picked up while hitchhiking. Pedro was cruising the beach in his lowrider, on the prowl for chicks when he spots Stoners boobs. Stoner tosses his drums in the car and feeling bad Pedro offers him a ride. Pedro invites Stoner to join his band. With the need to score some good “grass’ they spend more time searching for weed then they do practicing. Their search for a good score leads the duo south of the border. The DEA is undercover looking for a van being smuggled across the border that’s made up completely of cannabis. Cheech and Chong accidentally pick up the van and drive it across the border in time for the group to play in the local battle of the bands and make punk rock history!
WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT IT:
‘Up in Smoke’ is one of the first openly stoner comedies. It was groundbreaking, at the time, to show the recreational use of cannabis in a mainstream movie. Back in a time when the war on drugs was just about to ramp up pot was called dope and most of society wasn’t as accepting of the sticky icky as we are today.
No gag jokes. Just funny dialogue and situations between two stoners.
It’s a funny movie. The comedy duo of Cheech and Chong are in their element and fit the character roles that they would come to play for decades to come.
Quotable Lines: (The Entire movie is quotable, but we pick out some good ones)
PEDRO to STONER: “Hey Double Bubble! C’mon! I’ll give you a ride let’s go!”
STONER: “You wanna get high man?”
PEDRO: “Does Howdy Doody got wooden balls man?”
STONER: “You’ve just taken the most acid I’ve ever seen anyone eat in my whole life!”
BIRD: “Dave’s not here”
Border Guard: So, how long you’ve been in Mexico?
Pedro: A week. I mean a day.
Border Guard: Well, which is it? A week or a day?
Pedro: A weekday.
Arresting Officer: Sir, could I please see your license?
Pedro: Whuut?
Arresting Officer: Your license. Where’s your license?
Pedro: It’s back there on the bumper, man!
Arresting Officer: No, I mean your DRIVER’S license.
Pedro: Oh yeah, I got the bullshit back here man…
[gets license with great difficulty]
Pedro: Hey I thought’a somethin’ really funny, man…Here, Your mother!
Pedro: Hey how am I driving, man?
Man Stoner: [looks around] : I think we’re parked.
Pedro: It’s punk rock, Man! We can do that; we can be punks, Man!
A Lesser Known Cheech and Chong Movie
Name: The Corsican Brothers
Directed by: Tommy Chong
Year: 1984
Genre: Comedy
Starring: Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong
PLOT: During the French Revolution two twin brothers, Louis (Cheech) and Lucian (Chong) Corsican, were separated at a very young age. One left behind to grow up under the oppression of the French monarchy while the other was taken to live an easy life growing up in a restaurant in Mexico. The two were never far apart, however, because the brothers shared a connection beyond brotherly bond. They were actually physically connected in that One brother would feel the other brothers physical pain. If one took a punch the other felt it. After many years Louis returns to his brother Lucian who has become a full fledged revolutionary. Louis and Lucian join together to take on the local French Monarch the Evil Fuckaire.
WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT IT:
It’s a Cheech and Chong period movie, but not a stoner comedy. There is no weed smoking in this movie at all, but still funny.It’s a fun comedy to watch during a stoner marathon.
It’s not bad movie overall, Cheech and Chong don’t attempt to have accents which I think is a good thing, they are just focusing on the funny.
The comedy is very slapstick and physical.
Overalll:
Not the funniest of their movies. I think that straying from the formula of what they knew was the downfall with this overall. I would have loved to see more cannabis in this situation which I think would have made it better.
A Lesser Known Stoner Movie
Name: Your Highness
Directed By: David Gordon Green
Year: 2011
Genre:Fantasy/Comedy
Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman
Plot:
The evil lord Leezar (Justin Theroux) is attempting to bring about an ancient evil prophecy that will make him conquerer of the world. Leezar kidnaps the wife of the brave Fabious (James Franco) vows to go on a quest to have her returned. His lesser and more lazy brother Thadeous (McBride) is ordered to go with him to not only help his brother in his quest but to prove that he is worthy to remain a prince in his fathers eyes.
What’s So Good About It:
A lot of stoner references. This is a stoner movie through and through.
It’s not brilliantly written but it is very clever and cute.
Great costumes, special effects, and props. The production value makes this a solid non-cheesy attempt at fantasy.
Natalie Portman’s Butt!
Overall:
It’s a fantastic watch on 4/20! A high replay value and one of those “It gets funnier every time you see it” qualities.
Name: The 5th Element
Directed By: Luc Besson
Year: 1997
Genre: Sci-Fi
Starring: Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldmen, Christ Tucker
Plot:
A retired military veteran now driving a cab crosses paths with an ethereal alien who is known as the Supreme Being. A 5th element in a mythical weapon that can defeat the ultimate evil from devouring Earth.
What’s So Good About It:
This is not a “Stoner Movie”, aside from one scene, but another great watch while celebrating 4/20.
The Production design is superb. The world that’s created is fun to look at. A little over the top space-cyber-punk but a look at a future we could get to in 3-400 years, complete with flying cars and aliens living amongst us.
Bruce Willis is born to play these kind of roles. He’s charming and a believable hero.Milla Jovovich is adorable yet powerful as Leeloo, the Supreme Being.
Gary Oldman gives a fantastic performance as the evil Zorg.
Ruby Rhod, all of Ruby Rhod.
Overall:
This is a movie you should own regardless of the holiday. It’s a fantastic piece of original science fiction that’s done well.
Name: True Romance
Directed By: Tony Scott Written by (Quentin Tarantino)
Year: 1993
Genre: Romance/Action
Starring: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, and every big name in Hollywood today!
Plot:
A lonely guy, Clarence Worley (Slater), meets a fun bubbly woman in Alabama Whitman(Arquette). The two have instant chemistry and when Alabama confesses to Clarence that she was paid to be with him that night she also confesses that she fell in love with him. She makes the decision to leave her life behind including all of her belongings. Clarence feels that her disappearing from her abusive Pimp Drexl (Oldman) isn’t enough, he turns up at her old employers house to let him know she’s no longer his property and to get her things. A scuffle breaks out and Clarence leaves the house with Alabama’s bag but it’s not filled with her things, it’s filled with cocaine. Clarence and Alabama hop in a car and head out to California to try and sell the coke to the Hollywood elite, however, Drexl employers aren’t happy about the theft and follow Clarence out west to look for their cocaine. things go from bad to worse as the DEA and more interested parties get involved.
What’s So Good About It:
Written by Quentin Tarantino, it’s a fantastic love story that’s not all mushy and feelings. It’s a very real look at what people will do for love.Lots of good believable violence. Not over the top gore, but good old fashioned movie violence.
Some of the best on screen dialogues and monologues ever written. This movie takes its time in building up moments and delivering on the build up.
Every person in Hollywood is in this movie. Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer, Brad Pitt, Samuel L Jackson, Michael Rapaport, the list goes on!
Fantastic Score!
Overall:
This is another movie you must own! It’s a great first date movie! Believe it or not, it is a tear jerker!
