13 Movies to See Before the Year Ends

They recounted eras of racial injustice, spotlighted little-known heroes, explored the depths of love, and ventured into weightless worlds. They are the award-winning, critically-lauded films of 2013 that, above all, made us laugh, cry, and think. From a cowboy's unbridled desire to live, despite a looming death sentence in Dallas Buyers Club, to a woman's awakening after her marriage—and life—falls apart in Blue Jasmine, these are the cinematic wonders you have to see before the year comes to a close.

Fruitvale Station | Dir. Ryan Coogler
Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer

American Hustle | Dir. David O. Russell
Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence

Gravity | Dir. Alfonso Cuarón
Sandra Bullock, George Clooney

The Wolf of Wall Street | Dir. Martin Scorsese
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margo Robbie

12 Years A Slave | Dir. Steve McQueen
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong'o

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom | Dir. Justin Chadwick
Idris Elba, Naomie Harris

Inside Llewyn Davis | Dirs. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake

Captain Phillips | Dir. Paul Greengrass
Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi

Dallas Buyers Club | Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto

Lee Daniels’ The Butler| Dir. Lee Daniels
Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard, John Cusack

August: Osage County | Dir. John Wells
Meryl Streep, Dermot Mulroney, Julia Roberts

Blue Jasmine | Dir. Woody Allen
Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard, Sally Hawkins

Her | Dir. Spike Jonze
Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson