One of the best series ever, although not cheap ($40), is Band of Brothers. it's a 10 part HBO series on WW2 in Europe. It is brilliant. In fact just talking about it makes me want to see it yet again.

It is not a history lesson or documentary but takes you through all the main action by telling the story of one outfit that moved from one battle to the next. It is a true story and has small clips at the beginning of each episode with the real guys who survived.

You will be forever loved because it is many hours of great acting, non-stop action and a story that is so incredible it had to be true.

Since's it awesome, stars Paul Newman, and hasn't been mentioned - Slap Shot.

The original Taking of Pelham One-Two-Three is also great.

The Quiet Man! Best movie John Wayne ever made, and a good choice for Xmas.

I concur with the Cat on a Hot Tin Roof recommendation; also Cool Hand Luke, The African Queen, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - all great movies.

What about Lee Marvin? Talk about classic men's movies - and personally, I love everything the man ever did, from Cat Ballou to Point Blank. Hell in the Pacific, The Dirty Dozen, the Professionals, Donovan's Reef - hard to go wrong with Lee Marvin.

John Wayne movies are both classic and manly.
This:
http://www.amazon.com/Wayne-Shootist-Dorado-Liberty-Valance/dp/B00006674Y
is a great box set

As far as Paul Newman goes, Cool Hand Luke is a personal favorite of mine.

John Huston, John Ford, Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, Robert Aldrich, Howard Hawks or Martin Scorsese films.
Suggested Individual Titles
The African Queen (1951)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955) - dir. Robert Aldrich
The Searchers
Rio Bravo
Stagecoach
Raging Bull
Goodfellas
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Mean Streets
Cool Hand Luke