The year 2013 was a strong and diverse year for the movies, releasing several gems that have since beencanonized as classics. They run the gamut from haunting horror to deeply personal dramas, bold, audacious spectacles to intimate character studies. It was a year where established auteurs delivered some of their finest work, while fresh voices emerged with daring new perspectives.
With this in mind, this list considers some of the most compelling movies of 2013, projects that still hold up today. Some, like12 Years a Slave, forced audiences to confront painful historical truths, while others, likeHer, speculated on the emotional implications of new technologies, presciently looking ahead to our current moment in time.
10’The Conjuring' (2013)
Directed by James Wan
“Sometimes it’s better to keep the genie in the bottle.” The Conjuring revivedthe haunted house subgenrewith style, combining exquisite craftsmanship with blockbuster entertainment value. Loosely based on real-life paranormal investigatorsEd(Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), the story follows the couple as they attempt to a family being tormented in their remote Rhode Island farmhouse. The Warrens uncover a demonic force, and unexplained occurrences soon escalate into outright malevolence.
James Wan’s direction is meticulous, utilizing long takes, shadowy corners, and expertly timed silence to create an all-consuming sense of dread. Then there are the jump scares, often a cheap gimmick but here elevated into a potent tool. Not for nothing,several scenes quickly became iconic, including the infamous clapping hands. Sure,The Conjuringpays significant homage to classics likeThe ExorcistandPoltergeist, but it does so with genuine affection, making for one of the most fun horrors of the 2010s.
9’Blue Is the Warmest Color' (2013)
Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche
“I have infinite tenderness for you. I always will.“Adèle ExarchopoulosandLéa Seydouxare the driving forces in this raw coming-of-age romance. The former is Adèle, a French high school student whose life changes when she meets the enigmatic and free-spirited Emma (Seydoux), an aspiring artist with striking blue hair. The film follows their passionate relationship over several years, exploring themes of love, identity, and self-discovery.
Blue Is the Warmest Colormanages to beboth intimate and epic, clocking in at a full three hours. It’s bold and committed, both in its clear-eyed look at relationships and in its graphic, lengthy sex scenes, some of which courted controversy. The stars are impressively vulnerable and intense, practically carrying the whole film between the two of them. They keep this careful balancing act from falling apart. Their performances are so authentic that the movie feels more like a slice of life than fiction. Not for nothing, the film took home the Palme d’Or.
Blue is the Warmest Color
8’Philomena' (2013)
Directed by Stephen Frears
“Just because you’re in first class doesn’t make you a first-class person.“This deeply moving and surprisingly humorous dramatells the true story ofPhilomena Lee(Judi Dench), an Irish woman who was forced to give up her son for adoption as a teenager. Decades later, she enlists the help of journalistMartin Sixsmith(Steve Coogan, who co-wrote the script) to uncover what became of him.
Both performers are on top form here, and they play off one another well. That said, Dench is undeniably the star, playing the role with a perfect blend of pain, humor, hope, and, above all, resilience. DirectorStephen Frears(Prick Up Your Ears,Dangerous Liaisons) approaches the story with refreshing restraint, avoiding sentimentality. Every emotional beat is earned. He also ably mixes together subgenres, borrowing elements of road movie and detective story. For all these reasons,Philomenamanages to be both heartbreaking and entertaining.
7’Nebraska' (2013)
Directed by Alexander Payne
“Have a drink with your old man. Be somebody.” Shot instriking black and white, this understated road movie follows Woody Grant (Bruce Dern), an aging, alcoholic man who becomes convinced he has won a million-dollar sweepstakes. Determined to claim his winnings, he sets off on a road trip from Montana to Nebraska, accompanied by his reluctant but caring son, David (Will Forte).This simple premise becomes a vehicle to explore family, aging, and the American dream.
Nebraskaworks thanks to its pitch-perfect balance of wry humor and quiet melancholy. On the acting front, the hilarious Forte proves his dramatic chops here, while Dern steals the show as Woody, rightly meaning him an Oscar nod for Best Actor. In terms of the direction,Alexander Payneappears utterly assured, crafting simple but memorable visuals, including the poignant final shot. In particular, he uses the bleak Midwestern landscape to reflect the film’s themes of loneliness and nostalgia.
6’Before Midnight' (2013)
Directed by Richard Linklater
“Like sunlight, sunset, we appear, we disappear. We are so important to some, but we are just passing through.“Before Midnightis the perfect conclusion to one of cinema’s most beloved romantic trilogies. Nearly two decades after Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) first met on a train inBefore Sunrise, we find them in Greece, now middle-aged and married with children. The magic of their early romance has given way to the realities of long-term commitment.
What follows is a brutally honest, deeply moving examination of love’s evolution over time. Once again, it’s anchored by naturalistic dialogue and winning performances. Their conversations crackle with authenticity, making their exchanges as captivating as ever. Through their words, we piece together the trajectories their lives have taken. The script is beautifully fluid and razor-sharp, occasionally veering into dark territory. It’s amazing how organic and real these characters feel.
Before Midnight
5’Short Term 12' (2013)
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
“You are not a burden. You are not a burden to me.“Short Term 12is a 96-minute indie drama that punches well above its weight. It’s about a group of at-risk teenagers living in a foster care facility, as well as the dedicated staff who care for them.Brie Larsonleads the cast as Grace, a compassionate but emotionally guarded supervisor at Short Term 12, who struggles to balance her professional responsibilities with the wounds of her own troubled past.
Larson is terrific in the peart; this was a breakout role for her.She’s joined by a stellar cast of young performers who would go on to great success, includingJohn Gallagher, Jr,LaKeith Stanfield, andRami Malek. They are served well by the naturalistic storytelling, including handheld camerawork that immerses the viewer in this environment. It all adds up to a raw, unsentimental portrayal of trauma and resilience.
Short Term 12
4’Dallas Buyers Club' (2013)
Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
“Sometimes it feels like I’m fighting for a life I ain’t got time to live.“Matthew McConaugheyearned Oscar gold for his lead performance here asRon Woodroof, a rough-living Texas electrician who is diagnosed with AIDS in the 1980s and given only 30 days to live. Unwilling to accept his fate, Ron embarks on a journey to obtain experimental treatments, eventually smuggling unapproved medication from around the world and distributing it to others suffering from the disease.
McConaughey is transformative in the part, both emotionally and physically (he lost nearly 50 pounds to play the character). On the directing side,Jean-Marc Valléetells this true story with a vérité-style style, although some more conventional narrative beats are included to give the movie more mainstream appeal. It’s an approach that works.Dallas Buyers Clubis a compelling drama with an important message, but one that never becomes preachy. It was also rather bold at the time, when many of the issues it explores were even more politically charged than they are now.
Dallas Buyers Club
3’Her' (2013)
Directed by Spike Jonze
“The past is just a story we tell ourselves.” Set in a near-future world that feels increasingly plausible,Hercenters on Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely writer who develops a romantic relationship with Samantha (voiced byScarlett Johansson), an advanced artificial intelligence. As Theodore falls deeper into his virtual love affair, the film explores the complexities of emotion—both real and synthetic.
Heris a brilliant study of the human need for connection, as well as our changing relationships with technology. It places its finger so perfectly on the paradox of the social media age: communication technology proliferates, as does loneliness. Machines seem to be our only constant companions. The film’s commentary only grows more relevant as AI grows in power. In this regard,Herwas ahead of its time, and is perhaps the most incisive sci-fi film of its decade. In terms of the aesthetics, it charms with its soft pastel cinematography, haunting score byArcade Fire, and, most of all, Johansson’s voice.
2'12 Years a Slave' (2013)
Directed by Steve McQueen
“I don’t want to survive. I want to live.” That year’s Best Picture winner,12 Years a Slavedramatizes the true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free Black man kidnapped and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War South. Solomon’s struggle for survival takes him through the brutal plantations of Louisiana, where he endures unspeakable suffering at the hands of slavers, particularly the sadistic Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender).
The film is harrowing and unflinching, certainly not light entertainment. But its gravitas is impressing, rising to the seriousness of the subject matter.Steve McQueen’s direction is formal and masterful, heavy with historical significance and piercing emotion. At the heart of it all is Ejiofor’s remarkably restrained performance. He uses just the smallest of gestures and expressions to convey so much. Also brilliant isLupita Nyong’o, catapulting her to fame and winning her the Academy Award for Best Actress.
12 Years a Slave
1’The Wolf of Wall Street' (2013)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
“The year I turned 26, I made $49 million, which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week.” Claiming the top spot on this list is the thematically bleak but relentlessly entertainingWolf of Wall Street, one ofMartin Scorsese’s wildest masterpieces. It chronicles his meteoric rise and inevitable downfall of stockbrokerJordan Belfort(Leonardo DiCaprio) as he builds an empire of fraud, fueled by drugs, sex, and an insatiable hunger for wealth.
DiCaprio is electrifying, portraying Belfort as both a charismatic con artist and an irredeemable hedonist. His dogged pursuit of power is matched only by his complete disregard for morality, making forone of the most mesmerizing antiheroes in Marty’s filmography.The movie itself leans into his worldview, reveling in excess. Some critics complained that the film didn’t do enough to punish Belfort or make his existence look unglamorous. But this was precisely the point. Rich fraudsters might get their just deserts in fantasies likeWall Street, but in reality, they often get away scot-free.
