Every week between now and February 2, when the nominations are announced, movies and stars will help themselves — or, sometimes, hurt themselves — in the Oscar race. Vulture's Oscar Futures will listen to insider gossip, comb the Oscar blogs, and out-and-out guess when necessary to track who's up, who's down, and who's currently leading the race for a coveted nomination.

Best Picture	UP: Milk. Early whispers indicate it could be as good as its trailer.	DOWN: W. The first reviews confirm the worst — not only is it not the batshit-crazy lightning rod we were hoping for, it's not even a very good movie!
	CURRENT PREDIX: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, Revolutionary Road, Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director	UP: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire. By all accounts, his movie is this year's Little Miss Sunshine. Can it score him his first-ever nomination? We think so!	DOWN: Clint Eastwood, Changeling. The Academy loves the guy, but critics smell a stinker.
	CURRENT PREDIX: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire; David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon; Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road; Gus Van Sant, Milk
Best Actor	UP: Josh Brolin, W. Critics don't love the movie, but Brolin's "pitch-perfect," they say.	DOWN: Benicio Del Toro, Che. His performance may be great, but it's in a four-hour movie now getting mixed reviews.
	CURRENT PREDIX: Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road; Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon; Sean Penn, Milk; Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Best Actress	UP: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married. It's a great role and a stellar performance that surprised practically everybody.	DOWN: Angelina Jolie, Changeling. Her tabloid celebrity is widely assumed to have cost her a nomination last year, so nipple-showing magazine covers probably aren't helping her case this year.
	CURRENT PREDIX: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married; Angelina Jolie, Changeling; Kristen Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long; Meryl Streep, Doubt; Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actor	UP: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight. His nomination is a given, but can he win? He's still the front-runner!	DOWN: Russell Crowe, Body of Lies. It's allegedly a great performance, but critics don't love the movie.
	CURRENT PREDIX: Josh Brolin, Milk; Jamie Foxx, The Soloist; Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight; Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Road; Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon
Best Supporting Actress	UP: Debra Winger, Rachel Getting Married. She's thrice-nominated and returning to the screen after a three-year absence. Ecstatic reviews don't hurt either.	DOWN: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler. Even her nude scenes can't take the media focus off Mickey Rourke.
	CURRENT PREDIX: Kathy Bates, Revolutionary Road, Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona; Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler; Debra Winger, Rachel Getting Married