Cinema Requisite

The following, in no particular order, are what I consider to be movies that everyone desperately needs to watch.

1984
Baraka
The Corporation
A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash
Blind Spot
The Weather Underground
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
Why We Fight
Children of Men
Syriana
Michael Clayton
Blade Runner

The following are highly recommended, but didn't quite merit inclusion in the list above.

Moon
Monsters
Seven
Fight Club
The End of America
Black Hawk Down
Donnie Darko
Sunshine
Into the Wild
Primer
Redbelt
The English Patient
Dances With Wolves
V for Vendetta
Watchmen
Brick
The Exorcist
Garden State
Good Will Hunting
Searching for Bobby Fischer
No Country For Old Men
 

And if any of this piques your interest, you should check out dogwoof films.