Many activities are amplified for the better when you’re tripping on magic mushrooms, and watching trippy movies is definitely near the top of that list.
Shrooms provide consumers with an almost otherworldly experience: one where colors are brighter, music is magical, and everything is open to a seemingly unprecedented interpretation.
Tripping on shrooms tickles your senses, and can be sensual, spiritual, cathartic, or a combination of all three. And when you apply all of this to a film that already feels otherworldly on its own merit, it can either be amazing or tremendously overwhelming.
There are quite a few movies that feel like they were designed to be viewed while tripping, but it’s important to know yourself first, and make sure you’re in a good headspace before diving in.
Before you embark, keep an eye on your set and setting, surround yourself with people you love and trust, and be intentional about your dosage. Once you have all of that covered, feel free to immerse yourself in a cinematic universe as intense and larger-than-life as the psilocybin moving through you.
The Best Trippy Movies to Watch While Tripping
Some movies just feel like they were created to fuel a psychedelic experience, and The Bluntness has gathered a list of the best trippy movies to turn to when you’re in that state of mind.
Whether you’re in the mood for a psychological deep dive, a science fiction odyssey, or just some really weird shit, we’ve got you covered with the perfect film to turn on while you tune in and drop out:
1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Most of us watched The Wizard of Oz as kids – it’s one of those films that just feels like a rite-of-passage for childhood. The musical fantasy film follows Dorothy and her red ruby slippers as she travels through a technicolor world filled with Munchkins, wizards, and witches, Good and Wicked.
As children, we likely didn’t think twice about the trippy element of this film, but we encourage you to re-explore it as a shroom-consuming adult. From the musical numbers to the subtle moral lessons to the incredible costumes, you’ll be mesmerized from start to finish.
2. The Matrix (1999)
If you’re in the mood for a little science fiction, we suggest accompanying your trip down the shroom rabbithole with the original Matrix movie. The film depicts a dystopian future in which humanity is unwittingly trapped in a simulation.
Designed to make you think (and question reality), this reaction is only amplified when you’re tripping. Just make sure you’re in a healthy headspace to second-guess everything you know.
3. Alice in Wonderland (2010)
This Tim Burton take on a Disney classic is as trippy as you might imagine – it is Tim Burton, after all. The dark fantasy takes the plot of the original and runs with it, leading viewers into a visual dreamland well within the Burton-verse.
The film is beautifully weird enough on its own, but paired with shrooms? Next level.
4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
If you’re in a giggly mood but still feel like questioning the point of the universe, tune into The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a science fiction comedy that imagines life in the galactical world of Betelgeuse.
The film is sure to have you thinking about life beyond humans – something we all love to speculate on, even without the aid of shrooms.
5. Across The Universe (2007)
This musical film, which repurposes the work of The Beatles in an imagined world that takes place during the countercultural revolution of 1960s America, is absolutely epic.
Starring the enigmatic Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, and others, viewers also enjoy cameos by Bono and Joe Cocker, and generally makes you feel like you’re on drugs even while sober. Take this Vietnam War-era masterpiece to the next level with some magic mushrooms, and get ready to be amazed.
6. Labyrinth (1986)
Keeping in the theme of epic musical fantasies, the 1986 film Labyrinth brings the best of George Lucas, Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie, and the iconic, irreplicable era of the ’80s.
Jennifer Connelly is on a quest to the center of an otherworldly, enormous maze, to rescue her infant half-brother from the grips of the Goblin King – a.k.a., David Bowie. Yeah…we feel like we’re tripping already, too.
7. Samsara (2011)
Feel like you’re not in a place to follow a heavy plotline? Now’s the time to turn to a film that is free of dialogue and filled with beautiful international imagery: Samsara.
Following the theme of 1992 film Baraka, Samsara explores the world’s wonders in 70 mm format, including 25 different countries filmed over a span of five years. Get lost in our big, incredible world from the safety of your own home, and with the aid of shrooms.
8. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Based on the book of the same title, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is an adventurous dark comedy that follows gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson and his attorney through Las Vegas as they trip on psychedelics.
The cult classic is an absolute must-watch if you like to trip – bonus points if you’re doing so while viewing.
9. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Yet another fantastical musical film that seems like it was designed to trip to is The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a cult experience unlike any other.
A straight-edge, newly engaged couple find themselves stranded near a mystical castle, where they attempt to make a call for help. Instead, they become entrenched in the world of Dr. Frank N. Furter, a transvestite alien with an affinity for performing.
10. Fantastic Fungi (2019)
If you feel like steering straight into the beast, you may benefit from watching a film about magic mushrooms while you’re tripping on magic mushrooms. Fantastic Fungi is a documentary film that explores biology, roles, and functions of fungi.
Designed to make audiences view mushrooms from an enlightened perspective, the film is captivating and thought-provoking for anyone watching.
11. Any Studio Ghibli Film
Finally, one of the most fail-safe genres of film for psychedelic viewing is anything produced by Studio Ghibli. The Tokyo-based animation film studio is known for its otherworldly anime, often featuring the cat-like spirit and studio mascot, Totoro.
You can easily get lost in any of Studio Ghibli’s creations, but some of the most notable are Spirited Away, The Cat Returns, Grave of the Fireflies, Ocean Waves, and Castle in the Sky.
Need a little more Bluntness in your life? Sign Up for our newsletter to stay in the loop.
Psilocybin can provide a life-altering experience.
“Don’t diddle the dose. Once you have done your homework, go for it.” -- Terence McKenna
These mushrooms taste gross, but there are ways around that.
List of the strongest mushroom speciesTripsitter
PsilocybeTripsitter
Panaeolus: This species contains (at least) 13 psychoactive members. They’re generally considered weaker than Psilocybe mushrooms and produce significantly lower yields when cultivated.Tripsitter
List of the strongest magic mushroom strainsTripsitter
