The first chart update of the New Year, and really, there isn't much else to go on than what was available a few weeks ago. Yes, "There WIll Be Blood" took home the NSFC win, a rather high brow designation that doesn't translate to a best Picture nod as often as some might like to think. But tonight's BFCA awards will be interesting to say the least.

I'll steer clear of predictions given affiliation, but I think "Into the Wild" still has heated support within their ranks. However, with the late year surge of "Blood" and the fact that Paul Thomas Anderson's film is the one fresh on everyone's mind (we got ballots on Tuesday, deadline was Friday), I wouldn't be shocked to see that film stake a claim as well.

My Oscar winner predictions from earlier in the week have certainly sparked some thoughts from the readership. But I think anyone who thinks one set of winner predictions is crazier than the next is out to lunch at this point. This is the most wide open Oscar race in all my years of covering it.

So with that, a fresh set of predictions leading into the first week that will really have something to say in the precursor season. The BFCA goes down tonight, the DGA nominations land tomorrow, the USC Scripter winner(s) on Wednesday, the Cinema Audio Society and WGA announce nominees Thursday and the editors and art directors chime in Friday. Sometime in the next seven days the ASC will also announce, but suffice it to say, by this time next week, we'll have our first truly clear picture of what the industry thinks of the films in play.

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