Well, the Dude abides. And that old familiar chill demeanor seeps through Jeff Bridges’ newly released album through Squarespace. Featuring ambient sounds to help lull listeners to lethargy, Sleeping Tapes can be purchased on a varied array of mediums including vinyl and cassette tape, fittingly enough, and all proceeds go towards the charity Share Our Strengths No Kid Hungry campaign to end child hunger. Bridges’ worked with composer Keefus Ciancia to ensure all sounds will lead us to euphoric slumber. In addition to offering the album, Bridges is the lead in their ad campaign on building websites through Squarespace, below is his first commercial and he’ll be featured in an ad playing during the first half of the Superbowl.

Sport, sportster, sporterino. Listen to his music here and check out his Squarespace website.

This past week has seen the wider release of the hyper-anticipated Inherent Vice by Paul Thomas Anderson. And it has rightfully boggled the minds of many critics, currently standing at a seemingly despairing 68% on the Rotten Tomato aggregator. Our own Ananda concludes, in her review, that Anderson perhaps “erred on the side of density for what will most likely be considered a stoner film, and it’s not likely to earn respect as his best film by any means, but there’s always pleasure in watching an auteur work.” Having seen it myself recently, calling it an auteur stoner film is pretty spot on as Anderson completely nails the atmosphere and clouded psychology behind a stoner’s mind at work.

Vice got me thinking, naturally, about other classic stoner films that came before it. We’ve had enough years (the exploitation film Reefer Madness from the 1930s is as good a starting point as any), all throughout the hippie boom in the ’70s that Inherent Vice theorizes on, that the “stoner movie” could be legitimately considered a sub genre. Of course, it’s not for everyone. Those who have never experienced the paranoia, the munchies, the comfort of a couch, and the incoherent ramblings of the person next to you while they keep Bogarting the joint, (not necessarily in that order), will hardly find any amusement in watching people under the heavy, hilarious influence of marijuana. But this article isn’t for those people.

This article is for those of you who’re known to toke once in a while. Those of you who, after a long hard day’s work, come back home and relax by burning one down and watching whatever you have in front of you (even if it’s just the nutritional facts on your cereal box). It’s 2015, and modern culture has come a long way in accepting pot as a harmless, recreational drug that causes less disease and fewer dire consequences than tobacco and alcohol. But don’t mistake this article as an endorsement to find the closest dealer next to you and start puffing away: this is merely a celebration of some of the zaniest, most entertaining, and highly re-watchable (get it?) stoner movies that have come before Anderson’s Inherent Vice. Also, note that we’re not trying to compare any of the below films to Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest work. In fact, there is just one film on the list that is comparable in cinematic artistry, while the rest are best viewed with the brain switched off and blazed up.

Without further ado, here are 11 Classic Stoner Movies in chronological order. Enjoy!

Cheech and Chong’s Up In Smoke (1978)

If you need a good starting point on learning about the counter-culture that the art of weed-smoking is an integral part of, there’s no better starter than Cheech and Chong’s Up In Smoke from the late ’70s. Sure, Reefer Madness gained cult status after being unearthed in the late ’60s, but ask any pothead what their favorite comedy is and there’s no doubt they’d list Up in Smoke somewhere near the top. The irreplaceable comedy duo Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin were doing stand up and comedy records for 10 years before releasing the first, and best, of their successful stoner comedies. Cheech’s freakout after smoking dog shit and taking acid is probably the greatest drug-filled paranoia reaction ever put on screen.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Cameron Crowe’s writing debut, Amy Heckerling’s directorial debut, and career jump-starter for Sean Penn, Nicholas Cage, Eric Stoltz, and Forrest Whitaker, Fast Times at Ridgemont High is mostly remembered as the film that got a lot of famous people going. But the film is much more than this, obviously, because it’s a bonafide high-school classic first, and a stoner classic second. The latter is mostly personified by Penn’s easygoing surfer dude Jeff Spicoli whose “been stoned since third grade.” His interactions with professor Mr. Hand (Ray Walston) are some of the funniest pot-related moments ever filmed, moments anyone who’s been in public high school can relate to.

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Wait, is it Fast Times or Dazed and Confused? You’ll have stoners arguing over which one is the certified stoner high school classic in various smoke-filled basements, until everyone agrees that there’s room for both and reward their thoughtfulness with a communal joint. Richard Linklater’s early film is much-removed from his most recent Boyhood scope, but his effortless ways of capturing time in a bottle and teen spirit in a bong are more than present in this rock and roll fused classic. Matthew McConaughey, Milla Jovovich, and Rory Cochrane are legendary teens of the 70s, in a film so classic even boutique label Criterion couldn’t ignore it.

The Stoned Age (1994)

Ah, but then there’s the hidden classic that’s always had the misfortune of being overshadowed by Linklater’s much-discussed and set-in-film-stone stoner extravaganza. James Melkonian’s The Stoned Age takes a single idea – two long-haired rock-and-rollers looking for chicks – and stretches it for an entire film. Full of kooky misadventures, hilarious one-liners, and two central performances from Bradford Tatum and Michael Kopelow that could rival any Penn’s and McConaughey’s, The Stoned Age is a true stoner’s classic, in as far as its mostly remembered by stoners.

Friday (1995)

Back to classics everyone’s heard of, the ’90s continued to churn out stoner movies faster than you can order pizza while supremely baked. F. Gary Gray’s Friday became such an instant comedy hit that it spawned unplanned sequels Next Friday and Friday After Next. But what the sequels don’t have is most of what makes the original a certified smoker’s classic: Chris Tucker’s hilarious, unemployable, Smokey. As his name suggests, the man’s reason to wake up is to smoke up, and his exchanges with Ice Cube’s Craig and the various characters the two encounter (including one super funny Bernie Mac) is legit hall-of-fame stoner gold.

Half Baked (1998)

1998 saw two stoner classics, worlds apart from each other in approach, that together define the entire decade as far as stoner comedy is concerned. Fans of The Chappelle Show surely remember this one, as Dave Chapelle co-writes (with fellow Chappelle Show writer Neal Brennan) and stars as Thurgood Jenkins, a man forced into selling marijuana only to become really, really, good at it. If you’ve never seen this, you’ve probably never sniffed a joint, and you’ve missed out on everything that makes Chappelle such a riot. Also has what’s perhaps the greatest stoner cameo ever, by none other than the Snoop Doggy Dogfather of pot playing an annoying and weaselly “scavenger smoker”.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

The second classic from the same year has risen above its cult-status into a bonafide comedy classic, seeped in enough cinematic artistry that I don’t doubt P.T. Anderson loved watching as a way to prepare his own stoner film. The Coen Brothers’ The Big Lebowski, with essential and absolutely uproarious turns from Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, John Turturro, Steve Buscemi (and, literally, every single other actor involved), is one of the greatest comedies ever made for my money. A case of mistaken identity leads to a tailspin of crimes and misdemeanors as The Dude (Bridges, as if you didn’t already know) tries to get his precious rug back. It ties the room together!

Kung Pow: Enter The Fist (2002)

Who says every stoner film has to involve people getting stoned? While most do, as our list clearly states, there are countless dumbed down comedies that are best enjoyed under the influence of the prescribed medicine from your local Doctor Greenthumb. Steve Oedekerk’s Kung Pow! Enter The Fist from 2002 is a martial arts parody on the surface, but have a toke or three and the movie transforms into one of the greatest comedies ever directed (a sentiment that lasts as long your stash does). It’s all in the dubbing.

Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (2004)

Starting off the millennium with more contemporary comedies, the best kinds are the ones that kept all the charm and wit from their predecessors. One of the best of this kind is Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle. John Cho and Kal Penn are like the modern-day versions of Cheech and Chong, as they get thoroughly blazed and go on an adventure to find the nearest White Castle. Sure, it’s the biggest movie product placement this side of a Michael Bay film, but with hilarious cameos from Neil Patrick Harris, Christopher Meloni, and others, not to mention the hilarious dynamic between Cho and Penn, White Castle is a stone-cold classic. Sequel Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is surprisingly decent, but definitely not as good as the original.

Smiley Face (2007)

A stoner gem too easily forgotten and dismissed, is this a Gregg Araki movie, his follow-up to one of the best reviewed films of his career, Mysterious Skin. Unfortunately for Araki, Smiley Face wasn’t as warmly received, but fortunately for stoners, Smiley Face is filled with spot-on moments of what exactly it feels like to be completely smoked out of your head. Not to mention that it has one of the best comedic performances Anna Farris ever gave (and she’s pretty much always hilarious). Jane unwittingly eats hash-cupcakes after already smoking too much for her own mental good, and tries to run down a to-do list on a regular day in the life of a pothead. This is no White Bird in a Blizzard, but it’s also undeservedly sidelined on lists like this. Similar to The Stoned Age, Smiley Face is overshadowed by other stoner comedies but remains brilliant and hilarious in its own way.

Pineapple Express (2008)

The list ends as it should, with the current go-to people behind today’s most successful stoner comedies. Seth Rogen and James Franco have done a lot of damage, most of all last year with the highly controversial The Interview, but their comedic efforts collided with global acceptance in 2008’s The Pineapple Express. Rogen’s everyman loves to get high after his brain-numbingly boring office job, but things take a wild turn after he unexpectedly teams up with his pot dealer, Saul (Franco, as hilarious as ever). It’s got Franco’s foot through a windshield during a hot pursuit as one of its many, many, highlights, and one of Danny McBride’s greatest creations in competing pot-dealer Red. Pineapple Express is stoner action comedy at its very best.

Think we missed some major pot movies? What are some of your favorites? Tell us in the comments below and have a great day, man!

From Febuary 6-20, SF Indiefest will be celebrating 16 years of independent film goodness with a stacked program of indie films of all kinds, from docs, to comedies, to horror flicks, to dramas, to shorts…and the list goes on. The lineup is super exciting: for fans of independent film (you guys), this is going to be freaking Disneyland. Plus, to get to talk to up-and-coming filmmakers before they hit it big is indie cred in the bank. The films will play at the Roxie and Brava theaters in San Francisco, and at the New Parkway Theater in Oakland.

This year’s theme is “Sweet Sixteen”, and keeping with the tradition of “keeping the festival festive”, there will be a slew of off-the-wall parties and events to keep you busy: an opening night party, a Roller Disco Party, the Bad Art Gallery (awesome), a Pub Quiz, an Anti Valentine’s Day 80’s Power Ballad Sing-along, the famous annual Big Lebowski Party (featuring a 35mm screening of the film and a costume contest), and more. It’s a great time (I had a blast last year), and the parties give the festival a more quirky, fun, inviting atmosphere than any other film fest in the Bay Area. For more info, visit sfindie.com

This is my personal favorite festival of the year, and we at Way Too Indie obviously have a close connection with the films being showcased. Stay tuned for comprehensive coverage, including reviews, interviews, photos, videos, and more. If you live in or around the Bay Area, I hope to see you there!

Here are 5 films we’re looking forward to (though there are plenty more):

I Hate Myself : )

This subversive documentary by filmmaker Joanna Arnow should please fans of Girls and docs alike. Centering on Arnow’s relationship with her racially provocative, instigative boyfriend, the film features exceedingly intimate, hard-to-watch footage of the couple (both emotional and sexual) that will make you cringe and squirm in your seat, guaranteed. Themes of femininity, sexuality, dysfunctional love, and racism pervade, making the film a catalyst for rich post-screening conversation. The film has been garnering a lot of buzz on the festival circuit, and it’s heading into San Francisco with a lot of momentum. Arnow will be in attendance at the festival along with her “naked” co-editor Max Karson, who bares all in the doc. It’s said he may appear “in costume”, whatever that means…

Screens at New Parkway 2/11 7pm, Roxie 2/14 7pm, 2/18 7pm

A Field in England

At last year’s festival, Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers was one of the strangest (in a good way) films that played, and his entry this year, A Field in England, looks to be just as darkly bizarre. Set in the English civil war, the film follows a group of starving soldiers fleeing from battle. They fall under the control of a sadistic necromancer who induces them into a state of wild hysteria. I’m a big fan of strange cinematic mindfucks (The Legend of Kaspar Hauser, which played at last year’s Indiefest, was one of my favorites), and Wheatley’s film looks to scratch that itch. Shot in grimy black and white, it’s praised by Martin Scorsese as being a “stunning cinematic experience”. If Scorsese’s endorsement isn’t enough to whet your appetite, I don’t know what is.

Screens at Roxie 2/8 7pm, 2/9 1215pm

 The Congress

Based on a sci-fi novel by Stanislaw Lem, The Congress stars Robin Wright as herself in a version of the future where actors can sell their digital likeness to movie studios for them to use in any way they see fit (depending on contract stipulations, of course). She’ll be gracing the silver screen for all eternity, forever young, and she gets a hefty payday, but as she grows older the ugly ramifications of signing away her likeness begin to surface. Waltz With Bashir director Ari Folman utilizes both live-action and animated techniques to tell his story, with a trippy, psychedelic animated middle section that’s sure to blow a mind or two. The Congress will open up the festival this Thursday at the Brava theater, and should set the tone for the festival nicely with its reality-bending style.

Screens at Brava 2/6 7pm

Blue Ruin

Jeremy Saulnier’s outrageous horror-comedy Murder Party played at SF Indiefest in 2007, and after a long directorial hiatus he returns to the festival with Blue Ruin. The film Dwight (Macon Blair), an unassuming bum who lives in his car, as he seeks to avenge the death of his parents by tracking down their recently-released-from-prison killer. It won the FIPRESCI prize at Cannes and kept the buzz buzzing at Sundance. Blair’s performance has been garnering universal acclaim as well. It’s great when you find the rare genre piece crafted with an artful sensibility (You’re Next), and Blue Ruin looks to be a violent, thrilling piece of indie filmmaking. The film will close out the festival.

Screens at Roxie 2/9 7pm, 2/20 915pm

Proxy

Zack Parker’s Proxy harbors some of the most unsettling, look-through-your-fingers movie moments I’ve seen in years, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s a must-see for festival attendees, if only to share the shock of these devilish images with a room full of people. Collective gasps, moans, screams, and theater walk-outs are almost a guarantee, and honestly, there are few festival experiences more enjoyable than watching a crowd of people pushed to their limits by a movie. The film opens with  a pregnant woman, Esther Woodhouse, being brutally attacked in an alleyway. The film only gets darker and more disturbing as she seeks mental help at a support group and descends into a world of sexual obsession as she befriends a woman who may be just as fucked-in-the-head as she is. The film, which features indie darling Joe Swanberg in a supporting role, is best suited for those with an appetite for unadulterated sadism and gore.

Screens at Roxie 2/16 915pm, 2/20 7pm