Here is a suggested list of movies and scenes that gives surround speakers good exercise. Some have great LFE too:
Master and Commander - first battle scene when they are fighting in the fog. Cannonballs whizzing through and wood splinters flying everywhere.
Dragonheart. The part where Draco is talking to Dennis Quaid in the wheat field while flying around in him. The counter-clockwise pan is pretty cool.
Planet of the Apes. A few minutes into the movie when when they discover the electrical distubance in space and the two ships race through it. And the crash landing on the planet
War of the Worlds where the first Alien Tripod makes it's way from underground and starts firing at people running for their lives. I like to start it where they are looking at the storm and the wind is flapping the clothes hanging on the line.
MR and Mrs. Smith the scene where they are fighting their way out of their home and the house explosion is truly a killer.
House of Flying Daggers the "Echo Dance" scene
Cutthroat Island battle scene where the ships are tearing into each other with cannons blazing. Excellent surround sound effects of cannonballs and debris wizzing around your head.
Gladiator first battle scene with 2 large armies battling against each other with arrows whizzing by your head, the sound of steal clanking together, the echoing voice of Russell Crow and the background music.
Star Wars Episode One Pod Race. Also the lightsaber sounds as Maul fights Qui-Gon at the end and the pass close by the camera are awesome.
Ice Age opening sequence is very good with an excellent transfer and detailed surround imaging.
Saving private Ryan D-Day scene gives every speaker a good workout
Toy Story 2 the opening 'video game' sequence
Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, chapter 41 in the standard edition. It is the scene where the wall at Helms Deep is blown up.
For subwoofers I refer to this list:
http://www.flageborg.no/SVSpatruljen/SVS%20sub%20bass%20test%20DVD%20cut.pdf... Kind of outdated though.
