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That distinction shouldn't really matter, but sometimes, her style is so efficient to not stand out that you couldn't be blamed for thinking that a movie like Point Break came courtesy of Jerry Bruckheimer or Michael Bay. If anything, this is the charm of a journeyman director like Bigelow; not all of her movies are great (for proof, try listening to Harrison Ford's awful Russian accent in K-19 without wanting to throw up, and wonder how she didn't stop the vocalizing in its infancy), but there is a solid and consistent workmanship throughout. The Hurt Locker is not only her best film (I know some people love Point Break, but it's more of a camp-classic love, not genuine love), but it's one of the finest films of the year, and should be a contender for Best Picture. Bigelow has more work lined up, thanks to the success of the film; hopefully, her winning streak can continue.

Amy Heckerling

Two of the most iconic high-school comedies of the past 30 years didn't come from John Hughes and didn't star Molly Ringwald. I know, it might seem like heresy to even suggest it, but I present for your consideration 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High and 1995's Clueless. Both films have one thing in common: director Amy Heckerling, who's been responsible not only for these instantly popular movies but for finding a great eye for talent. Before he was a serious actor, an Academy Award-winning star, Sean Penn was a goofy stoner named Spicoli who drove Mr. Hand crazy. Before he was part of the Judd Apatow stable of funnymen, Paul Rudd was the romantic lead opposite Alicia Silverstone in Clueless. What's odd is that, despite having only directed nine movies, Heckerling has been involved with some timeless and/or popular material.

After Fast Times came Johnny Dangerously and National Lampoon's European Vacation. She also directed the first two Look Who's Talking movies, unleashing the primal horror of imagining a baby with the mind of Bruce Willis. What's even more rare is that, for some of her latter films, Heckerling was the writer and director. Unfortunately, Heckerling's work dropped off after Clueless, despite the film being a huge success. She's only made two movies since, and one of them I Could Never Be Your Woman, went straight to DVD (and is an unfortunate victim of being very dated, even if by a year or two). Her comic prowess is still unmatched, but one hopes she can get back in the director's chair soon.

Penny Marshall

Over 15 years, she made seven movies, and though they're not all winners, Penny Marshall has been involved with a fair few that are memorable to this day. In fact, you could almost say that part of Tom Hanks' huge success as a superstar is attributed to Marshall's directing skill. Two of his earlier mainstream hits, Big and A League of Their Own, were helmed by Marshall, previously a star on the '70s sitcom Laverne and Shirley. None of Marshall's movies featured any flash or quirk in the style, but they were all (or tried to be) heartwarming and, in most cases, family-friendly. In fact, only one of her movies tried to be a bit more adult, and it's the last one she's done in the theaters for nearly a decade: Riding in Cars With Boys, starring Drew Barrymore and Steve Zahn. The movie seemed a bit more appropriate as a movie-of-the-week, and she's not directed since.

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