Cold Winter, Hot Films

The holidays are usually a high-energy season packed with plans to enjoy specially-prepared meals, score some sweet gifts or just spend some time relaxing with friends and family. While it’s always great to spend quality time catching up with loved ones, now that things are slowing down, it’s a nice time have a low-key way to wind down solo or with a couple of other people who share your joy for chilling. Check out these five new film releases to give you some entertaining downtime.

“Rogue One”

Blast off with a vape pen and IMAX tickets, and return to the high-fantasy space opera world of “Star Wars”. “Rogue One” takes place 19 years after the creation of the Galactic Empire as The Rebellion tries to steal the plans for a planet-killing battlestation dubbed the Death Star. Move over, troubled Skywalker family. This episode is about Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) —recruited for the elite Rebel spy squad charged with pulling off the heist. James Earl Jones reprises his role as the voice of Darth Vader.

“All Eyez On Me”

This highly anticipated biography is all about Tupac Shakur, one of America’s archetypal rappers — and a cannabis aficionado. Directed by award-winning music video and film director Benny Boom, this film focuses on the rapper’s career as a popular and respected hip-hop artist in the ’90s up until his murder in an infamous and still unsolved Las Vegas drive-by shooting.

“Gold”

Cannabis enthusiast and advocate Matthew McConaughey stars as prospector Kenny Wells in this adventurous, dramatic thriller that follows the explorer and a geologist deep into the heart of the Bornean jungle on a mission to find gold. The determined duo set out on a treasure hunt of a lifetime that gets the unwanted attention of both the FBI and the Indonesian military, and lands them in some hot water.

“Neruda”

You might be familiar with Pablo Neruda as the lyrical Chilean love poet, but this unconventional film — being touted as an “anti-biopic” — shares the story of the Nobel Prize-winner’s experience as a political fugitive after joining the Communist Party in the 1940s. Prepare yourself for excellent performances by actor and (legalization supporter) Gael Garcia Bernal as the inspector tracking him down and Luis Gnecco, who bears a striking resemblance to the famed poet.

“Assassin’s Creed”

Warp through space and time with hottie Michael Fassbender (“X-Men”) in this epic action-adventure video game franchise turned film. Die-hard gamers and casual lovers of fictional history will enjoy this history-spanning saga, which revolves about a machine that recovers the memories of your ancestors, amid a plot by the very real Knights Templar. Grab the popcorn, this thing’s chock full of the frenetic chase and fight scenes that made the game such a hit.

Originally published in Issue 23 of Cannabis Now. LEARN MORE.

TELL US, what good movies have you seen lately?