Stoner films—usually comedies—have become their own sub-genre in the decade since the hippies brought the herb into public consciousness. While many play off the silly side effects of the substance, there are a number of films that stand up on their own as actual works of art. Whether it’s the works of Cheech and Chong, the poster boys for marijuana or Easy Rider, which has serious undercurrents about the 60s druggy culture, here’s a guide to the best of the crop.

Dazed and Confused
Richard Linklater’s time warp to the last day of high school in 1976 is heavy on the herb. Not only does he capture the feeling of the decade perfectly, but he also proves that youth culture hasn’t changed much since Randall “Pink” Floyd and his friends rebelled against the older generation. Mostly, though, they just wanted to have a good time and get high. Alright, alright, alright.

Pineapple Express
Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the film was also directed by indie king David Gordon Green. He proved to be a good choice as he brought his artistic sensibilities to a flick about Dale Denton (Rogen) and his pot dealer Saul (James Franco) on the run from drug kingpin Ted Jones (Gary King). It successfully marries the Judd Apatow school of humor (he produced it) while being a legitimate action flick. It features it’s share of exciting action sequences, all behind a haze of smoke.

Half Baked
Made before he became well known as “Rick James, bitch” it’s also the only film Dave Chapelle has written to date. It concerns a group of potheads determined to sell weed in order to bail their friend out of jail. It’s only natural he was arrested for getting high and feeding their munchies to a diabetic police horse, killing it. Featuring the wit Chapelle would later become world famous for, it also includes a slew of stoner cameos including Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, Tommy Chong, John Stewart, and a very memorable one from Bob Saget.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High
While this film is mostly about the realities of high school life, which can be quite heavy at times, it also features one of film’s best known potheads, Jeff Spicoli. Played by a very young Sean Penn, Spicoli is the ultimate stoner to the chagrin of his history teacher Mr. Hand. Although Penn’s Spicoli was the breakout star of the film, it has some deeper truths of budding adulthood that have withstood the test of time.

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle
The title says it all. What sounds like it should be a stupid story of a couple of stoners on the hunt to satisfy their craving for White Castle turns out to be a lot smarter than it should be. Starring John Cho and Kal Penn as the titular characters, respectively, their search for the perfect burger is hindered by misadventures, and a lot of purple haze. Neil Patrick Harris has a particularly memorable role as a sex crazed, druggy version of himself that proved so popular he came back for the sequels. Neither quite stacked up to this original which has since become a stoner staple movie.

The Big Lebowski
The Coen Brothers crafted one of the most memorable stoners in film history with The Dude. Jeff Bridges is perfect in the role as an accidental detective in this neo-noir story of mistaken identity, bowling, and vaginal art. Despite taking place in the early ’90s, the film is unmistakably caught up in the ’70s with The Dude’s panama pants and his friend Walter’s (John Goodman) constant Vietnam outbursts. What was once a cult classic has since become a legitimate phenomenon, and one of The Coen Brothers best known films. Pretty impressive for a film about an aging pothead who just wanted his rug back.

Super Troopers
The first film from comedy troupe Broken Lizard still stands as their best work. Chronicling the attempts of a rag tag crew of Vermont state troopers to save their department from closure, they’re more invested on pulling pranks on the drivers they pull over than they are in actual police work. Its most memorable scene is the cold open focusing on a trio of teens getting high while on the road. Instead of merely being pulled over and charged for the crime, the Troopers decide to play an amusing game on the baked teens. It’s real plot of uncovering an illegal marijuana ring has since made it a 420 staple.

Friday
In 1995 Ice Cube made the transition to screenwriter with a tale about Craig and and the memorable Smokey, played by Chris Tucker, who have less than a day to repay a drug dealer for what Smokey inhaled rather than selling. What’s mostly a film about the duo’s interactions with their wacky neighbors, it has a serious suplot that drives the film forward even if it’s most enjoyable moments are just watching them get high and crack wise.

Up in Smoke
No 420 movie guide is complete without one Cheech and Chong flick. Not only are they the movie stars most easily associated with the cannabis, but they somehow turned their pothead personas into a successful film franchise. The best place to start would be their first film which finds them on an adventure of stoner proportions. Memorable scenes include them smoking an inordinately gigantic joint, only to get so high that they can’t figure out if they’re still driving or not.

Grandma’s Boy
The only film from Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company to star his usual sidekick Adam Covert in a starring role, it has since become known as one of the better films from the crew. Covert stars as Alex a struggling, middle-aged video game tester who’s forced to move in with his Grandma and her roommates. He spends as much time putting his life back together as he does lighting up. What makes the movie stand up isn’t as much its humor as its quality script that actually delivers more than the usual stoner comedy.

Easy Rider
This 1969 film is infamous for the legend of its stars Peter Fond and Dennis Hopper (who also directed) actually lighting up on set. Although it includes one unforgettable scene of a young Jack Nicholson smoking a joint in front of the camera, it’s also known for it’s incredible soundtrack that includes songs by The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Steppenwolf, and The Band among others, mostly as the duo ride their motorcycles across gorgeous landscapes. As fun as the film can be, it also captures the sometimes terrifying tensions between the rising hippy culture and the American South. Featuring one of the most intense endings of any stoner film, it’s considered a landmark American film that sparked the New Hollywood era of filmmaking.