Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu: Waga Yuku wa Hoshi no Taikai

This is an excellent film that should get anyone who reads science fiction (or watches it) interested in the series. The scale of the setting is epic and the use of classical music (real masterpieces ala Mahler, Mozart, Beethoven, etc, etc) gives it an integrity that I find lacking in a lot of anime with cute pop songs and even cuter characters.

There's nothing cute about this one; the series centers around a war and depicts it graphically. If you look real closely, you might pick up on some ideology and social commentary while you're at it.