LOS ANGELES (AP) -- And the nominees for best actor are: Adam Sandler for "Little Nicky," Sylvester Stallone for "Get Carter," John Travolta for "Battlefield Earth," the submarine in "U-571" and the radioactive reptile from "Godzilla 2000."

OK, Hollywood's awards season hasn't quite fallen on such hard times. But to paraphrase the title of the Coen brothers' upcoming flick: O, Oscar nominees, where art thou?

With only a handful of December releases still under wraps, the Oscar field is shaping up as one of the thinnest in years. You know things are weird when Bob Dylan may be the only sure bet for a nomination (for "Things Have Changed," the theme song from "Wonder Boys.")

Unlike recent years when films such as "Saving Private Ryan" and "American Beauty" were early favorites, no best-picture front-runners have emerged.

In fact, Hollywood insiders are backpedaling to consider such spring and summer hits as "Erin Brockovich" and "Gladiator" as possible competitors. At the time they were released, prevailing wisdom was that better movies would come along to knock them out of the running.

Instead, a rush of movies featuring past Oscar-caliber talent proved disappointing: "The Legend of Bagger Vance," "Pay It Forward," "Almost Famous" and "Unbreakable."

Upcoming movies that have been screened for critics have generated lukewarm Oscar buzz. It's not uncommon, though, for a late entry such as 1998's "Shakespeare in Love" to swoop in and dominate the awards, so some last-minute releases hold the best hope for a real quality contender to emerge.

December releases that still carry question marks include "Cast Away," starring Tom Hanks and directed by Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump"); "All the Pretty Horses" with Matt Damon, directed by Billy Bob Thornton ("Sling Blade"); "Chocolat," featuring Juliette Binoche and Judi Dench and directed by Lasse Hallstrom ("The Cider House Rules"); and "Proof of Life," starring Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe.

Even if some of those late releases prove Oscar worthy, Academy members may find themselves scraping to fill out the nominations in top categories.

And they may pay more notice to good, smaller movies that would get overlooked in stronger years. The independent feature "You Can Count On Me," which split top honors at the Sundance Film Festival and recently opened to rave reviews, might slip in as a best-picture candidate.

The feel-good British tale "Billy Elliot," another festival favorite that has found big audiences in limited release, could follow the route of "The Full Monty," which grabbed a surprise best-picture nod three years ago.

Nomination prospects could improve for standout performances by Ellen Burstyn in "Requiem for a Dream" and pop singer Bjork in "Dancer in the Dark," somber films that Academy voters might find too off-putting in other years. Likewise, the comically savage Marquis de Sade film "Quills" and its four stars, Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Michael Caine and Joaquin Phoenix, could benefit from the dearth of more conventional Oscar movies.

Studios are revving up Oscar campaigns for an anything-could-happen season.

Paramount took the unusual step of re-releasing "Wonder Boys," an acclaimed film that bombed early this year, hoping to boost the nomination odds, particularly for star Michael Douglas. DreamWorks scheduled a DVD release bash for "Gladiator," featuring a screening of the film and an appearance by director Ridley Scott in, surprise, the lush theater at Academy Awards headquarters.

Though "Pay It Forward" proved disappointing, Warner Bros. can plug the solid performances by Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment.

Audiences embraced "Remember the Titans" despite its emotional excesses, and Disney will trumpet the flick for nominations across the board. Disney also will promote the Coen brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", a wildly inventive flick that in any other year might be too bizarre for serious Academy consideration.

Fine Line Features will push the excellent performance by Javier Bardem in "Before Night Falls," an arthouse film about Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas. USA Films has nomination hopes for the big-ensemble drug-trade drama "Traffic," made by "Erin Brockovich" director Steven Soderbergh. Sony Pictures Classics would like to pull a "Life Is Beautiful" by grabbing a best-picture nomination for the rousing, Mandarin-language epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Miramax, always a scrappy Oscar combatant ("Shakespeare in Love," "The English Patient"), will throw its awards-marketing savvy behind the as-yet-unveiled "Chocolat" and "All the Pretty Horses."

And MGM, which has had a virtually empty film slate this year, will slip in the intriguing mining adventure "The Claim" just in time for awards eligibility. The movie adapts Thomas Hardy's "The Mayor of Casterbridge" to a California gold town and features some notable performances.

With the disclaimer that many of these would not make the grade in better years, here are some possible contenders in top categories:

BEST PICTURE:

If the late entries don't pan out, the crowd-pleasing "Erin Brockovich," by director Steven Soderbergh, might emerge as a favorite. Two other audience favorites that could sneak in are "Gladiator" and "Remember the Titans."

Soderbergh's "Traffic" is an impressive, sprawling achievement, but it has a somewhat clinical tone and may lack the emotional impact needed for best-picture consideration. Likewise, the Cuban-missile-crisis saga "Thirteen Days" may feel too much like a history lesson.

The marvelously written and performed sibling-reunion drama "You Can Count On Me," poised to land on a lot of top 10 lists, has a shot despite its low-budget indie roots.

Director Gus Van Sant, whose "Good Will Hunting" earned a best-picture nod, has a similar youth-and-mentor tale in "Finding Forrester," which might gain awards momentum when it opens next month.

Other possibilities: "Billy Elliot," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Quills," "Wonder Boys." Longshots: "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "The Claim."

BEST ACTOR:

This category is crowded with contenders who have won Oscars for better roles in better films. Among them: Denzel Washington, "Remember the Titans"; Kevin Spacey, "Pay It Forward"; Geoffrey Rush, "Quills"; Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jr., "Men of Honor"; and Michael Douglas, "Wonder Boys."

Mark Ruffalo delivered one of the year's most earnest performances in "You Can Count On Me." Ed Harris is blistering in "Pollock," which he also directed. Chow Yun-Fat is terrific as a weary warrior in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." George Clooney is charmingly over-the-top in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Newcomer Jamie Bell is sweetly affecting as the title character in "Billy Elliot."

Kevin Costner may have hopes for "Thirteen Days," but he's upstaged by co-star Bruce Greenwood as President Kennedy. Then there's that brooding turn by Russell Crowe in "Gladiator."

Other possibilities: Sean Connery, "Finding Forrester"; Javier Bardem, "Before Night Falls"; Peter Mullan and Wes Bentley, "The Claim."

And if 20th Century Fox can get enough Academy members to view the gritty Vietnam film "Tigerland," relative unknown Colin Farrell might attract notice.

BEST ACTRESS:

There's Julia Roberts in "Erin Brockovich." Then there's... well... can we get back to you on that?

While not as flush as the best-actor category, this one gives Academy members a chance to honor impressive but atypical contenders.

Bjork seemed to truly become the tragic Czech immigrant with a passion for movie musicals in "Dancer in the Dark." Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn was gut-wrenching as a pill-popping game-show addict in "Requiem for a Dream." Michelle Rodriguez became a darling of the Sundance Film Festival for her smoldering film debut in "Girlfight." "You Can Count On Me" produced a career performance from Laura Linney, who could emerge as Roberts' main competition.

Past winner Helen Hunt in "Pay It Forward" and two-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen in "The Contender" also have awards prospects. Cate Blanchett, another past nominee, might have a shot for the psychic thriller "The Gift."

Then there's a surprising turn from Gillian Anderson, who drops her "X-Files" stone face for a fervent performance in the costume drama "The House of Mirth."

Other possibilities: Michelle Yeoh, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"; Sarah Polley, "The Claim."

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Skip the nominations and give the statue to Willem Dafoe, who is mesmerizing in "Shadow of the Vampire" as a bloodsucker pretending to be actor Max Schreck on the set of the silent-film classic "Nosferatu."

Last year's winner, Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules"), is back with a nasty turn in "Quills." In "Pay It Forward," 12-year-old Haley Joel Osment proves that last year's Oscar-nominated performance for "The Sixth Sense" was no fluke.

Other possibilities: Albert Finney, "Erin Brockovich"; Jeff Bridges and Gary Oldman, "The Contender"; Billy Crudup, "Almost Famous"; Joaquin Phoenix, "Quills"; Tobey Maguire, "Wonder Boys"; Benicio Del Toro, "Traffic"; Will Patton, "Remember the Titans"; Steven Culp, "Thirteen Days."

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Here's where the bar of excellence may have to be laid flat on the ground to scrape up enough nominees.

Excellent performances are turned in by Oscar winner Frances McDormand in "Almost Famous" and two-time nominee Kate Winslet in "Quills."

It's a narrow lot beyond that. Possibilities: Julie Walters, "Billy Elliot"; Kate Hudson, "Almost Famous"; Marcia Gay Harden, "Pollock"; Zhang Ziyi, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"; Nastassja Kinski and Milla Jovovich, "The Claim."

BEST DIRECTOR:

If the Oscar went to best film twosome, Steven Soderbergh could start clearing space on his mantel for "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic." Assuming he's nominated, it will be for "Erin Brockovich."

The prospects include past nominees: Gus Van Sant for "Finding Forrester"; Ridley Scott for "Gladiator"; Joel Coen for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"; Curtis Hanson for "Wonder Boys."

Other possibilities: Ang Lee, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"; Philip Kaufman, "Quills"; Michael Winterbottom, "The Claim"; Kenneth Lonergan, "You Can Count On Me."