Friday flicks: back to school

This week’s Friday Flicks is in honor of the back-to-school season (at least for those 19+ students). How better to get yourself in the mood for learning than kickin’ back on a Friday night and enjoying some laughs over the truly stupid things that kids and young adults do with their schoolmates. While these movies vary in quality, they share one big thing in common when it comes to the viewing experience; they’re best enjoyed with a little Mary Jane (or a lot).  So sit back, relax, spark up that delicious, fresh bud you picked up at Jima (or maybe ordered through Jima Select & Collect😉), and enjoy the show.

American Pie (1999) by Directors Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz (uncredited)

A group of teenage boys entering their senior year of high school decide to make a pact; they will all lose their virginities by prom night. The rest of the movie chronicles their idiotic, awkward, and embarrassing attempts to secure a ‘date’ for the big night. It’s really a look into the most uncomfortable, crude, and complicated realities of teenage sexuality. It sets itself apart from other teen comedies by avoiding malice and true perversion that’s often present. Instead, it’s brutally honest and sex-positive throughout. The characters are also written with much more depth than what’s characteristic of the genre, but what really makes this movie so great is the incredible cast. With too many star performances to mention here, their ability to make us like and connect with the characters is a massive part of what made this movie a success. As disgusting as it all is, you’re rooting for them!

Van Wilder (2002) by Director Walt Becker

A young Ryan Reynolds plays the infamous Van Wilder, a 7th-year University student who has no desire to graduate. Despite his intelligence, he hasn’t completed his required courses because he wants to continue living his dream as a well-loved college party animal. Accompanied by his personal assistant Taj (played by Kal Penn), Van Wilder attempts to avoid graduation despite pressure from his father. While the characters lack some depth and the jokes are classically crude, an extremely charismatic performance from Reynolds and upbeat tone of the film make it an extremely enjoyable watch. Of course, you’re going to want to have your bong handy so you can toke along with the main characters as they try to work out a way to party forever.

Accepted (2006) by Director Steve Pink 

High school slacker Bartleby (played by Justin Long) finds himself in a tricky situation after being rejected by every university he applied to. Unwilling to disappoint his parents and get stuck living at home for the next year, he decides to create a fake school on a rundown property nearby. The South Harmon Institute of Technology only needs to be real enough to fool his parents, but things quickly evolve far beyond Bartleby’s wildest dreams. With the help of his friend Sherman Schrader (played by Jonah Hill), a team of other ‘students’, and a fake Dean (played by Lewis Black), let’s see if he can pull this off! Perhaps the most impressive accomplishment of this film is how they manage to make this incredibly unrealistic plot seem somewhat plausible. It’s self-aware and witty, with a strong cast to deliver the script. If you’ve ever been rejected, you’ll find comfort in watching this team of misfits make their own way in the world. While the movie includes a shockingly low amount of drug use, considering that they’re trying to show how ‘losers’ are often highly intelligent and capable, that doesn’t mean we have to refrain! I maintain my previous statement, all of the movies on this list are best enjoyed with some green.

Mac & Devin Go to High School (2012) by Director Dylan C. Brown

Perhaps the most iconic school-related stoner movie (how many are there really?), this is one of a kind. Written and starred in by Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa plays the over-achieving valedictorian who’s stressing about his big speech and Snoop Dogg plays a stoner student hoping to graduate at the end of his 15th year of high school. Packed full of cameos from Wiz and Snoop’s music industry friends, this movie hasn’t even been rated by critics. It’s more like a series of comedy sketches that are truly hilarious if you’re a fan of Wiz and Snoop but make little sense otherwise. I have to agree with ‘Slow Burn’, the talking doobie narrator of the film (voiced by Mystikal), when he says that watching this movie without being high is like watching a 3D movie without your 3D glasses. It even comes with its own “movie weed game”, wherein viewers are prompted to take a hit for every time they see a character on screen who is walking, talking, or breathing😂

We hope you enjoy our selection! Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram if any of our Friday Flicks made it into your movie night, and stay tuned for more recommendations every other Friday on our blog 😊