X-Men Leads Sci-fi Awards Pack

April 4 -- The awards battle between Gladiator and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon isn't over yet.

The Oscar-winning films, which this year took home five and four Academy Awards respectively, are up for more honors, this time at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films' 27th annual Saturn Awards.

Gladiator, which received seven Saturn nominations, and Tiger, which received eight, are both trailing behind the comic-book-inspired X-Men, which boasts 10 nominations.

The group had to stretch to fill the horror slot, nominating critically reviled films Dracula 2000 and Urban Legends: Final Cut, along with Requiem for a Dream. The latter is horrific, but not really a horror film, now is it?

On the television side, the WB's Buffy the Vampire Slayer led with seven nods, including nominations for best actress (Sarah Michelle Gellar), best supporting actress, and best series. In the series category, it competes with its spinoff, Angel; the WB's Roswell; UPN's Star Trek: Voyager; and Fox's The X-Files and Dark Angel.

Director Sam Raimi, who is currently filming Spider-Man, will be presented with the George Pal Memorial Award, while producer Brian Grazer (Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and actor Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street) will receive Life Career Awards at the ceremony.

Lions Gate's Shadow of the Vampire will receive a special achievement award for its behind-the-scenes take on director F.W. Murnau's horror classic Nosferatu.

Other nominations:

Best Science Fiction Film:X-MenThe CellHollow ManThe 6th DaySpace CowboysTitan A.E.

Best Fantasy Film:Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole ChristmasChicken RunDinosaurFamily ManFrequencyWhat Women Want

The Saturn Awards will be presented June 12 at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Century City, Calif.