Like it or not, pot is hot.

With the release Friday of the two-toke action comedy Pineapple Express, and the recent announcement that Cheech and Chong, the forefathers of marijuana comedy, will reunite after 25 years apart, the entertainment industry is eager to explore the smoky exploits of the illegally impaired.

It should be noted that this column is in no way an endorsement of the cannabis lifestyle. It is, however, truly appreciative of the comedy of the impaired. I do not recommend befuddlement, paranoia and a righteous case of the munchies in real life, but in reel life, I never tire of the experience. Here are five favorites.

REEFER MADNESS (1936): Originally entitled Tell Your Children , this film was produced as a cautionary tale. It's far more successful as a comedy. According to the film, marijuana is a threat to American youths second only to hot jazz and skirts above the knee. Its dated approach and over-the-top production values make this an unintentional scream.

FRIDAY (1995): Friday stars Ice Cube and Chris Tucker as South Central Los Angeles residents who become embroiled in neighborhood crime, punishment, romance and reward while smoking and drinking on the front porch. Beautifully written and realized, it's a compact film that could almost work as a stage play. A smoky, smoky stage play.

UP IN SMOKE (1978): Any list of stoner comedy would be incomplete without Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. I consider this, their first film, the best. The plot is minimal, and many of the bits are recycled from their comedy albums and live sets, but there's real pleasure in the confused chaos of trying to get a van made of marijuana into the United States in time for a Battle of the Bands contest.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998): Perpetually mellow, often confused and prone to fire up a joint when things get rough, Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski is what a Raymond Chandler hero might have become had he been more inclined to pick up the reefer than a revolver. The Big Lebowski is a smart and well-written comedy that operated with the understanding that a great cinematic stoner often grounds an otherwise chaotic narrative. To paraphrase the Dude, it really ties the film together.

FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982): Leave it to a pre-eminent actor to offer one of the more fully realized performances in stoner film history. With his Jeff Spicoli, Sean Penn taps not only into the inherent confusion of the pot smoker but also into the low-key attitude and surprising sense of inventiveness.