4/20 Day: best stoner films on Netflix
From Harold and Kumar to Super High Me, what to watch this 4/20
Oh high there, and a happy Wednesday, April 20th to you. You may be aware that today is also known as 4/20: 'an unofficial worldwide counterculture celebration observed by marijuana enthusiasts on 20 April every year'. Kudos to The Guardian for that description.
There are many theories about why 4/20 is associated with weed. One suggests that it derives from a common misconception: that 420 was the police code used when people were caught smoking weed. If you write the date in the American way (mm/dd), them bam: 4/20 is April 20th. I mean, 420 is not the code for weed. Not even a little bit. But let's stick with that back story, since it proves that the date wasn't chosen out of sheer pot luck.
Another prominent theory is that in 1971 a group of students in California would meet at 4.20pm to smoke, and so it became known as '420'. Some people also think that 420 is the number of chemical compounds in marijuana, which is just wrong.
The only way to celebrate this day (and we mean it, kids, the only way) is to watch some stoner films on Netflix. Here, we've weeded out a selection of the dopest.
Harold and Kumar Get the Munchies
Two stoner pals get a bad case of the munchies, and decide that nothing will satisfy their cravings like White Castle burgers. And lo, a quest begins. It is predictably silly, and features a raccoon and a pop-up appearance from Neil Patrick Harris. Tagline: fast food, high times.
Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke
Made in 1978, this film follows Pedro De Pacas (Cheech Marin) and Anthony 'Man' Stoner (Tommy Chong) as they unknowingly smuggle a van – made entirely of marijuana – from Mexico to LA.
Super High Me
Doug Benson (that stand-up comedian fella) does 30 days of pot-free living, and 30 days of non-stop use, comparing the effects of both. Like 4/20, 24/7, amirite?
Pineapple Express
Seth Rogen and James Franco star in this jaunt, which follows a process server and his marijuana dealer who end up on the run from hitmen and a corrupt cop. Fans of the tropical fruit, please note: Pineapple Express is a type of weed in the film, and the fruit itself is not a prominent feature.
The Culture High
Snoop Dogg lends his inimitable wisdom to this incisive documentary exploring the arguments for and against the legalisation of marijuana.