WASHINGTON – It was a great year for major motion pictures, from “Gravity” to “Captain Phillips,” from “Twelve Years a Slave” to “American Hustle.”

But not every good movie makes it into the mainstream consciousness, let alone the local multiplex, either due to a small budget, lack of distribution, minimal marketing campaign, Oscar oversight, foreign release, bizarre subject matter or stylistic choice (i.e. shooting in black and white).

So, we’ve compiled a list of the Best Movies You Never Saw in 2013, the Sweet 16 Cinema Cinderellas, the Diamonds in the Celluloid Rough.

Simply click the gallery to the right to see our list of “hidden gems” you might have missed.

Note: “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Blue Jasmine” are not included, seeing as Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett are both favored to win the top acting prizes at the Oscars.

If you’d like to see where these “hidden gems” rank among all of this year’s best movies, check out our overall rankings of the Top 40 Movies of 2013.