Ah, someting a little bit less controversial! I end up watching movies that have either religious or philisophical content (ie, no 40 Year Old Virgin for me). This does not mean that I don't watch the blockbusters, etc., but it seems that the ones I go back to over and over are the ones that may be a bit deeper than, say, Independence Day.
As a point, over the past three days I've watched the three "The Prophecy" movies, starring Christopher Walken. You can actually purchase all three, which I highly reccomend. Christoper Walken stars as the arch-angel Gabriel, and is the bad guy in the first two and becomes a good guy human in the third. I always remembered the third as the weakest, but just watching it now it's pretty damn good, just like the first two. There's a war in heaven between different factions of angels, and they're fighting over us, as we replaced them as what God loves most since we have souls. Pretty cool stuff.
Other movies I include in this line of thought are:
V for Vendetta - is it ok to be a vigilante/terrorist if you're fighting for the right side? Look for Parliament blowing up at the end and see what you think! It's a really good, if not great, movie.
The Matrix Trilogy - There's enough to chew on in the three movies to make you forget how disappointing the second and third one were, although they're not that bad now that some time has passed since they were hyped so much.
The Last Samaurai - Tom Cruise as an american civil and indian war hero goes to Japan and ends up helping the Samaurai during their last great battle before the forces of modernity take over. Sounds silly? It actually gives you an idea of why the Samaurai culture might have been worthwhile. An excellent movie again.
Becket and The Lion in Winter - Peter O'Toole as Henry II in two fabulous movies which include Richard Burton as Becket and Katherine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquataine. How far can a king go in the never ending struggle for power vs the Church in Beckett, and the intrigues of Henry's court in The Lion in Winter. Both are well worth the time.
The Man Who Would be King - Sean Connery and Michael Caine end up in northern Afghanistan during the Raj, and find a civilization that hasn't changed much from the days when Alexander moved through it. In fact, Connery's character is mistaken for the son of the God King. The DVD has a break about half way through and you have to turn over the disc, but it's well worth the time.
The Daimajin films - Three wonderful movies set in 15th century Japan, where the bad samaurai who enslave the people get their commupence from a 60 ft. tall, 30,000 ton stone samaurai statue/god! Yay!
The Robe - Richard Burton, again, as a Roman legate who happens to crucify Christ. Great fun, with an over-the-top Caligula. Michael Rennie is in the movie as Peter, which brings us to...
The Day the Earth Stood Still - One of the iconic anti-war movies ever presented. An alien with a strange robot lands his ship in Washington DC, with a warning to be given to all of mankind. This holds up even after nearly 50 years.
What are your favorite religious/philisophical movies/dvds?