DEE REESE

"Pariah," this writer-director's semi-autobiographical tale of a young woman's decision to live an openly gay life, is one of the year's warmest, in-depth indies. Click here for Entertainment Weekly's review.

JEFF NICHOLS

In 2007, Nichols intrigued festival audiences with "Shotgun Stories," but the film seldom surfaced in theaters. "Take Shelter," starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain as a possibly demented man and his wife facing what could be the end of the world, is a whole other story. We can't wait for the follow-up. Click here for the New York Times review.

ANGELINA JOLIE

Who knew that the decade's sexiest diva dreamed of being the next Steven Soderbergh? The answer is, never sell Angelina short. With "In the Land of Blood and Honey," a harrowing Bosnian war drama, she makes a commendable directorial debut. Click here for the New York Times review.

J.C. CHANDOR

Sharp enough to have made his mark on Wall Street, Chandor instead opted to direct his own script about the wave of greed and deceit that flamed through financial firms like Lehman Brothers. The result? "Margin Call," a riveting mindbender starring Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci and Demi Moore. Click here for the Rolling Stone review of this sleeper, which has just received an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay of 2011.