Though Merriam-Webster selected “surreal” as the word of the year, they would have been just as accurate had they chosen “oversaturated”. Online media streaming services have moved from strength to strength over the course of 2016, and binging huge slabs of content has become the go-to habit of millions.
Such a boom in the prevalence – and accessibility – of media has both its strengths and its drawbacks. On the one hand, boredom is rapidly going out of fashion – it’s hard to feel unstimulated when you have a veritable online Library of Alexandria available at the simple click of a button. But on the other hand, it’s easy to feel overloaded with content, and sometimes it’s hard to sort your way through the grit to get to the glitter.
To that end, we’ve sourced our six favourite weed-themed films available for you to watch right now, offering up a plethora of entertainment that ranges from the profane to the profound. Binge away, friends. Binge away.
How To Make Money Selling Drugs, Stan.
Ignore that sensationalist, vaguely ridiculous title and the documentary’s occasionally daggy tendencies. When it works, How To Make Money Selling Drugs really works. Though it presents itself literally as a training guide for wannabe weed-sellers, it’s more powerful as an analysis of the legislation surrounding drugs, in the process providing a real insight into why so many are drawn to such an often dangerous business.
MORE: How To Make Money Selling Drugs is coming to Stan.
50 Cent in How To Make Money Selling Drugs
Super High Me, Netflix
Another interesting doco with another fairly dumb title, Super High Me is an entertaining look at every aspect of the marijuana trade, throwing light on storefront sellers and daily smokers alike. As a result of its breadth, it is a bit surface level, but remains surprisingly watchable throughout, thanks largely to the intelligence of the talking heads interviewed and the subtlety (no, really) of the editing.
The Culture High, Netflix
Though low budget, The Culture High is a surprisingly thoughtful polemic, and a defence of the many slurring claims made against marijuana over the years. Touching on a number of fear campaigns launched against the drug, it closely examines arguments that weed smoking has a direct impact on mental health, and particularly the claim that it can cause schizophrenia. Despite the stats and reasoning presented occasionally seeming a little dodgy (the filmmakers obviously never learnt the difference between correlation and causation), it’s nonetheless a mind-expanding watch in its own right, and a plea for a rational take on a subject so often blighted with false information.
The Wackness, Netflix & Stan.
The first fictional film on this list, The Wackness is an understated, loving look at the trials and tribulations of a young pot dealer, Luke. The film was never afforded its dues, and received only middling critical notices upon its release back in 2007, but don’t let that turn you off: the film is a nicely nuanced work, and works hard to never demonise or patronise its young stoner protagonist.
Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood, Netflix
Okay, so this one is dumb. Like, stupendously dumb. Perhaps that’s to be expected: after all, it was written by the Wayans brothers – those cinematic sociopaths responsible for White Chicks. But even as desperately idiotic as the film gets, it’s never anything but a good time, and somehow becomes more enjoyable for every stupid joke and stoner gag proffered up. It’s no masterpiece, but good lord is it a lot of lobotomised fun.
Rolling Papers, Netflix
Perhaps the most eye-opening flick on this list, Rolling Papers is a documentary surrounding The Denver Post and its inaugural ‘pot editor’ Ricardo Baca. It’s not only interesting as a study of the weed industry then, it’s also an enthralling look at the changing shape of media, as the old values held up by the traditional Post undergo a facelift thanks to Baca and his boundary-pushing agenda. It helps too that Baca is such a champ: the kind of man who sucks you in via the simple draw of his likeability.
MORE: Ricardo Baca quits Denver Post‘s The Cannabist
Ricardo Baca
