There’s something magical about watching a movie when you’re high. Every colour pops, every sound vibrates deeper, and every moment feels more alive. While everyone’s seen Inception or Doctor Strange during their “enhanced” viewing sessions, the real gems are often hidden beneath the radar.
Here’s a countdown of 10 underrated Hollywood movies that transform into unforgettable experiences when you’re high. Whether you’re into trippy visuals, deep stories, or just pure chaos, this list has something for every kind of stoner cinephile.
10. Entergalactic (2022)
Kid Cudi didn’t just make an animated film; he built an entire universe out of love, color, and late-night thoughts. Entergalactic feels like a lucid dream you don’t want to wake up from. The art style melts between realism and surrealism; every frame breathes. When the characters cycle down a street, and the road turns into galaxies, it’s like watching the universe come alive in motion. Add Cudi’s hypnotic soundtrack, and you’ve got a vibe that feels like floating.
Why it hits high: The visuals sync perfectly with the music. It’s like smoking your emotions in HD.
9. Choose or Die (2022)
At first, it’s just a harmless retro video game. Then it turns cursed. Each choice spirals darker, and every glitch feels like it’s crawling into your mind. Choose or Die starts as nostalgia and ends in digital horror. It’s eerie, addictive, and makes you question what “choice” even means.
Why it hits high: The old school VHS effects and glitchy aesthetics twist your perception like tripping inside a haunted computer.
8. Us (2019)
Jordan Peele’s Us isn’t your typical horror. It’s psychological, metaphorical, and deeply unsettling. What makes it stick is how familiar it all feels, a family vacation gone wrong until you realize the villains are literally you. The tethered move wrong, the silence stretches too long, and suddenly you’re questioning what’s real.
Why it hits high: When you’re high, the movie’s layers of symbolism start glowing. It’s not just scary, it’s existential.
7. Ready Player One (2018)
Steven Spielberg turned virtual reality into a nostalgic playground of chaos. Imagine diving headfirst into the internet, neon lights, retro games, and nonstop motion. It’s a dazzling mix of pop culture, VR escapism, and a futuristic what-if that feels closer to reality every day.
Why it hits high: The CGI overload becomes pure eye candy. You’ll feel like you’re inside the Oasis yourself, surfing through dimensions.
6. Interstella 5555 (2003)
Daft Punk’s visual album is a masterpiece of sound and color. No dialogue, no exposition, just rhythm and emotion expressed through animation. It’s not just music; it’s storytelling through pulse and hue. Each beat builds a world, each transition feels cosmic.
Why it hits high: This is the definition of synesthesia, when sound turns to color and rhythm turns to feeling.
5. Searching (2018)
Who knew a movie told entirely through computer screens could be this gripping? Searching keeps you hooked from the first click. Every email, text, and FaceTime call is a breadcrumb in a mystery that feels terrifyingly real. It’s smart, intense, and unexpectedly emotional, all while never leaving the digital world.
Why it hits high: The editing style keeps your eyes bouncing from screen to screen. It’s like a high-speed brain puzzle that won’t let go.
4. Get Out (2017)
It begins like a casual weekend trip to meet the girlfriend’s parents. Then everything turns offbeat. The smiles last too long, the conversations are too polite, and then The Sunken Place. That one scene alone is visual hypnosis. Jordan Peele turns social commentary into horror so elegant it makes you rethink every “normal” moment.
Why it hits high: The tension feels thicker, the symbolism hits harder. It’s not just fear, it’s awareness.
3. Nightcrawler (2014)
Jake Gyllenhaal gives one of his most haunting performances as a man obsessed with capturing and selling real-life tragedy. His motto: “If you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy a ticket.” It’s capitalism, ambition, and insanity rolled into one.
Why it hits high: The movie’s neon-soaked LA nights feel surreal, and Gyllenhaal’s intensity will make your brain buzz.
2. Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
This film redefines what cinema can be. It’s absurd, emotional, and deeply human. From martial arts to talking rocks, this multiverse story is chaos with meaning. At its core, it’s about a mother and daughter trying to reconnect through infinite realities.
Why it hits high: Every visual, every sound, every emotion hits all at once. It’s overwhelming in the best way.
1. It’s What’s Inside (2024)
Imagine playing Mafia, but you can switch bodies mid-round. It’s What’s Inside turns that concept into visual madness. Every frame is dripping in color and purpose, comic-style cuts, single hue scenes, and wild transitions that feel alive. The editing is electric, and the pacing keeps you locked in. It’s chaotic, hypnotic, and one of the most underrated cinematic experiences in recent memory.
Why it hits high: It’s pure sensory overload, a kaleidoscope of storytelling, visuals, and energy that feels like it was made for the high mind.
Final Thoughts
Watching movies while high isn’t just about visuals; it’s about feeling deeper. The colors get warmer, the sounds get sharper, and the meanings start to unfold in ways you didn’t notice before. So next time you light up, skip the same old blockbusters and dive into one of these underrated masterpieces. Whether you’re chasing vibes, emotions, or just a visual trip, these 10 films will take you on a ride through color, sound, and cosmic storytelling.