You’ve grown a batch of hash seeds, made some resiny goodness, and fancy a relaxing evening. So why not test that sticky-icky out with a mind-bending flick?
We’ve rounded up five of the best sci-fi movies to watch when you’re baked. So, stop mopping the stove, pick one of these motion pictures and kick your feet up.
5 Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Movies
The best weed seeds deserve the finest accompanying entertainment. Below are five of the greatest sci-fi movies ever put to screen, so strap in and prepare for launch.
1. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt star in this Starship Troopers meets Groundhog Day mashup. Watch this while high, and you’ll be glued to the screen, thanks to its fascinating premise and impressive setpieces.
Cruise plays Major William Cage, a fast-talking public affairs officer, set against the backdrop of an ongoing alien invasion. Cage is demoted and sent to the frontlines against his will, despite having zero combat experience.
In a scene resembling a futuristic D-Day landing, Cage and his squad are thrown into the fray and promptly killed. He wakes to find himself in the past, revealing the movie’s time loop gimmick.
The rest of the feature follows Cage reliving the day of the invasion and dying in various horrible ways. With each loop, he survives a little longer, eventually meeting Rita Vataski, a decorated war hero played by Emily Blunt.
Together they live, die, and repeat the same looping events, edging closer to victory each time. It’s a fantastic movie, with Cruise playing against type as the hapless Cage. Blunt delivers a powerful performance in her role as the battle-hardened veteran.
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
No list of sci-fi movies would be complete without this seminal piece of work from Stanley Kubrick. Do you like trippy, thought-provoking, and technically impressive films? This one should be at the top of your list of what to watch while stoned.
2001: A Space Odyssey stands in stark contrast to the pulpy creature features popular at the time. Its maturity and visual splendor transformed the public perception of science fiction and the stories it could tell.
The narrative focuses on the discovery of a monolith on the moon. Upon touching the strange artifact, it emits a burst of energy toward Jupiter. An exploratory vessel named Discovery is commissioned to investigate the signal.
Most of Discovery’s crew remains in suspended animation as the ship charts a course toward the outer planets. Three humans remain awake to monitor the situation, but the bulk of the ship’s functions are AI-controlled.
A logical inconsistency causes the AI, HAL-9000, to begin behaving erratically, setting off a harrowing chain of events for the humans onboard. At over fifty years old, this movie is still visually breathtaking and intellectually stimulating.
3. Annihilation (2018)
You shouldn’t overlook this hidden gem while searching for good things to watch while high. Annihilation is an adaptation of Jeff Vandermeer’s novel of the same name, directed by Alex Garland.
Natalie Portman plays soldier-turned-biologist Lena, who’s currently struggling to deal with her husband Kane’s disappearance. He returns sometime later, suffering from an unknown illness, and is promptly whisked away by shadowy government operatives.
Lena discovers Kane had been sent to investigate an area surrounding a fallen meteorite known as the Shimmer. In her search for answers, Lena signs up for a scientific expedition into the heart of this strange, beautiful, and dangerous region.
Annihilation’s focus on an all-female team of capable, professional scientists makes for a refreshing change from stereotypically male space marines. It’s also an intriguing and fresh take on the alien invasion trope, presenting an understated yet gripping, believable story.
4. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blade Runner 2049 is still one of the best sci-fi movies in 2022 and a worthy sequel to the 1982 original. Director Denis Villeneuve knocks this one out of the park, creating a visual spectacle oozing with atmosphere.
Ryan Gosling plays K, a Nexus 9 replicant in the employ of the LAPD. As a Blade Runner, he must hunt down rogue replicants and eliminate them with extreme prejudice. This process is known as retirement, not execution.
With the world’s ecosystem collapsing in the background, K embarks on a mission to track down a rumored replicant child. As he follows the clues, noir detective-style, he uncovers far more than he bargained for.
With its chilling vision of the future and thoughtful musings about humanity, Blade Runner 2049 is sublime sci-fi.
5. District 9 (2009)
If you’re looking for quirkier, non-Hollywood sci-fi movies to watch, check out District 9 by South African director Neill Blomkamp. Like most good sci-fi, this movie uses its fictional setting to explore important issues like racism, xenophobia, and capitalist corruption.
District 9 takes place years after the arrival of a giant spaceship over the city of Johannesburg. After breaching the interior, the government discovers a million starving alien creatures subsisting in awful conditions.
The government houses these “refugees” in a camp on the city’s outskirts. The aliens have no means of communication and no opportunity to make a life. Inevitably, the base transforms into a slum.
Xenophobic sentiment grows among humans. Many refer to them as “prawns” and believe they are nothing but disease-ridden criminals who drain resources from the government.
The film follows Wikus van de Merwe, a middle manager working at the Multinational United (MNU). The government tasks this corporation with relocating the “prawns” to a new camp.
After coming into contact with an unknown substance, Wikus’ DNA mutates, and he slowly transforms into a “prawn.”He gains the ability to activate alien weapons and becomes a target of the MNU.
The stunning creature design and effects make District 9 a treat to watch. Equally captivating is Sharlto Copley’s portrayal of Wikus. His compelling journey takes him from an unknown bureaucrat to South Africa’s most wanted man.
Take Me to Your Dealer
Plenty more deserving candidates could go on this list of the best sci-fi movies to watch. However, for the sake of brevity, let’s wrap it up with this varied selection of five cracking cinematic experiences.
While each of the above movies is a good time anytime, they get even better in the company of high-quality cannabis. So make yourself comfortable, smoke up, and enjoy the show.
