Top Star Wars Movies to Watch High
Published on 5/3/21
No holiday means more to sci-fi fans than May the Fourth, the day to celebrate all things Star Wars. If you are taking the day off for a movie marathon, there's plenty of cannabis-themed accessories to help enjoy the best Star Wars movie, from lightsaber bongs to R2D2 grinders. Whether you want to dress up and throw a party, or whether you just want to unwind and enjoy the top Star Wars movies by yourself, here's how to prepare for the day with the best cannabis pairings.
A Long Time Ago
Star Wars: A New Hope, Extended Edition
FlickrRecommended pairing: a Starburst sativa to take you into space.
What is the best Star Wars movie? You may find a lot of opinions on that question when ranking the Star Wars movies, but most fans will say the original was and still is the best when talking about the best Star Wars films ranked. "A New Hope" was originally just titled "Star Wars" in 1977, long before even George Lucas could dream all Star Wars movies would become a media empire, and on re-watch, it's easy to see why it became an instant classic. Each character fulfills their archetype: the plucky farm boy, a lovable rogue, damsel in distress and the wise father figure to a T, relying on the classic Hero's Journey narrative to tell a fantastic story in a universe far, far away. "A New Hope" combined ground-breaking practical effects that still hold up well to this day with scenes that remain a staple in film study classes because of their emotional resonance or their storytelling prowess. More than that, it inspired generations of kids and adults alike to dream of swinging lightsabers and blowing up Death Stars. Watch the extended edition for the bonus scenes introducing Jabba the Hutt and Biggs Darklighter.
The Empire Strikes Back, Extended Edition
FlickrRecommended pairing: a classic Purple Kush indica with enough strength to make you forget the big twist.
Although today, universally many people consider Darth Vader to be one of the great villains in film. In 1977's "The Empire Strikes Back," he played a relatively diminished role. He seemed like more of a lackey tasked to do the Empire's dirty work. The 1980 sequel revived his character in a major way and you could argue Vader is the main character in "The Empire Strikes Back," since almost the entire story pivots around him. "The Empire Strikes Back" sometimes comes up at the top of the best Star Wars movies ranked lists because it's darker, grittier, and the characters drive the story instead of the Big Thing To Blow Up. The extended edition is again an improvement: the CGI wampa monster on Hoth is a major step up from a guy in a suit, while the extra scenes of Bespin's Cloud City make the scenery more beautiful and more menacing as the film reaches its crescendo conclusion.
Return of the Jedi, Original Edition
FlickrRecommended pairing: a Love's Oven cookie that will kick in by the big climax.
Yes, we're going down the list of Star Wars movies in chronological order, because no matter what you watch on May the Fourth, everything is derived from the original trilogy. Unlike the first two movies, however, we don't recommend watching the extended edition of Return of the Jedi: skip the cringeworthy music video scene in Jabba's Palace, and don't bother wondering why the Empire's throne world of Coruscant would be so happy to see the balance of power upset. Instead, revel in the original dramatic conclusion to the trilogy, the movie that may have not been your favorite as a kid because of the huge battle at the end and the adorable Ewoks. As we get older, we may find the Ewoks more annoying than adorable, and we may be surprised at how short the space battle itself was, but the payoff remains a satisfying conclusion to the greatest space opera of all time.
Star Wars: Rogue One
FlickrRecommended pairing: an Armageddon Skunk to put you in the mood of the world's end.
Rogue One may be the best Star Wars movie to come out since the Soviet Union was a country. That's faint praise given the competition for the worst Star Wars movie, with the general lousiness of the "I don't like sand" prequels and the "somehow Palpatine returned" sequels. Even so, "Rogue One" does have a fair amount going for it. It starts by introducing a strong villain in Director Krennic, continues with a variety of interesting, beautiful world, and gives us by far the best comic relief in Star Wars with the quippy assassin droid K-2SO. The ending battle is not just gripping but sets up the events of the original trilogy perfectly, and if you want to watch "Rogue One" first and foremost, it serves as a perfect appetizer for the main course of the franchise.
Spaceballs
IMDbRecommended pairing: a Super Lemon Haze to make you laugh until it hurts.
Any fan who has gone through all Star Wars movies owes it to themselves to watch the best Star Wars spoof comedy, and perhaps the best spoof comedy of all time, in Mel Brooks's Spaceballs. A ridiculous parody of everything sci-fi, including gags about the Star Trek and Alien franchises, Spaceballs places the heroes Lone Star, Barf, Princess Vespa, and Dot Matrix in a fight against the nefarious President Scroob and Dark Helmet, making them learn to use the Schwartz from Yogurt to stop their evil plan to suck all the air from planet Druidia. Almost every joke in this movie is a classic, from the radar being jammed to Ludicrous Speed to Dark Helmet being Lone Star's father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate.
What are your favorite Star Wars movies? Do you like the prequels or sequels more than the originals? Let us know about your favorites, including your favorite Star Wars toys, video games, or cannabis accessories, in the comments below!
