Dish has the Encore channels (including Encore East HD) in the America's Top 250 package ($64.99) along with The Movie Channel West and The Movie Channel Xtra West.
DirecTV has the Encore channels (including Encore East HD) in the Choice Ultimate package ($68.99) along with Sundance, The Movie Channel East (HD), and The Movie Channel West.
With Dish, you can add Encore Movie pack (without Encore East HD and Encore WAM) for $5; this is not bad for the lower packages. With DirecTV, you must add Starz to get the Encores, but you also get the Starz channels for $12.99/month. With Dish, if you are not in America's Top 250, then it would be $5 for Encore (without Encore East HD and Encore WAM) and $13 for Starz. Therefore, the $5 pack may be an advantage, but it can also be a disadvantage if ordering both Encore and Starz with Dish outside the America's Top 250 pack. It is all what you want. I think some of the movies on Starz plays on Encore, though. Sometimes the recent movies take a little bit longer to get from Starz to Encore, but they tend to get there eventually.
If looking at movie channels DirecTV does not currently have, Dish also has EPIX 1 HD, EPIX 2 HD, EPIX 3, RetroPlex HD, and IndiePlex HD. Both have MGM HD, HDNet Movies, and Hallmark Movie Channel HD (while Dish has it in SD as well).
When it comes down to it, it depends on what the customer wants in order to figure out what provider to go with. Personally, I think Dish is better for movies.
