Smoke, Flicks, and Chill: Sci-Fi Classics

We live in a world where just about anything can happen, and in an intricate domain like filmmaking, ideas can be projected from a basic, small scale to an other-worldly fictional examination of life as nothing you’ve ever seen before. For a genre such as science fiction, you can combine the best of action, thrillers, horror, and even a little slapstick comedy humor to create that ultimate dystopian blockbuster. Will it ever actually happen? Who knows, but for right now, immerse yourself in this new discovery—you won’t regret it. Here’s the list of some sci-fi favorites (in no particular order) to watch while stoned. Open your mind to all the possibilities.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Kicking off this list is a recent personal favorite and one that you’ll most certainly be purchasing on DVD (remember those?) after your first watch. With a tagline of ‘Live, Die, Repeat,’ you can understand why this sci-fi masterpiece could have some Groundhog Day-esque feels behind it, with Tom Cruise cast as an untrained cocky PR officer plopped in the middle of an alien war with no victory in sight. After being killed almost instantly in combat, Cruise finds himself immersed in a time loop, forcing him to go back after each death and unlock details to defeating this imminent threat. It also helps that he has Emily Blunt at his side, labeled ‘Full Metal Bitch’ and proving once again why she’s one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses. With a last name like that.. c’mon now.

Munchie: No time to cook a meal, this is war — cheese and crackers it is.

Children of Men (2006)

Alfonso Cuaron’s thought provoking take on a bleak future will have your head spinning way before the ending credits. This mid-2000s dystopian flick finds us in a world where infertility is going strong with the population’s demise almost certain—that is, until Clive Owen’s character is entrusted with ensuring the safety of a young immigrant who is the first person in generations to be pregnant. Don’t expect to see any outer space creatures or high-flying ships; this is a futuristic movie set in a political war zone where the only thing people are yearning for is a little bit of hope. Even with the smoggy, grey overview, there’s still a chance of light at the end of the tunnel. Or maybe that’s just your joint burning.

Munchie: Indulge in our world that has plenty to offer—the world is your.. mm.. oysters.

Alien (1979)

Sometimes it’s never a bad thing to revert back to the classics, and a classic this most certainly is. Ridley Scott’s take on a sci-fi horror creature feature places Sigourney Weaver in the middle of the galaxy with the worst kind of company. It’s true that in space, no one can hear you scream, and the film’s tagline is only one instance where we relate back to the constant isolation and loneliness felt in the film, on top of overwhelming fear courtesy of a huge acid-spitting extraterrestrial’s presence. It’s eerie, it’s scary, and it makes for a great choice to watch while high out of your mind.

Munchie: Gushers—that’s the closest you’ll get to a chest burst.

Ex Machina (2015)

There’s a big reason this picked up an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects alongside mounds of praise for Alicia Vikander’s killer performance. This twisted tale of a programmer granted the opportunity to work alongside a genius goes from 0 to 100 after he realizes he’s been chosen to instead administer a Turing Test to a fully-auctioning AI (Vikander). The film itself is more polished than the featured robotic creations, providing thoughts and thrills throughout the entire run time that’ll make you question if something like this scenario is already capable of happening in real time. Director Alex Garland will have you screaming with your fist held high as nothing from Ex Machina truly is as it really seems—and that’s the best part.

Munchie: Something to juice you up — just avoid the batteries, we’re not the robots here.

The Matrix (1999)

Let’s get straight to the point: You’ve undoubtedly seen The Matrix before, maybe once, twice, or so many times that you legally changed your name to Neo. Hey, no one is judging. You’re up to speed on the whole war against the machines, you’ve tried (and failed) a slow-mo back bend in order to dodge bullets, and you’ve daydreamed of what might happen if you pick up an ominous, ringing payphone. There’s no need to explain more to this mind fuck, except that unless you’re a die-hard Wachowski fan, you’re better off just watching this one 3 times instead of moving on to the sequels. But that’s up to you.