Movies

This year's Oscar nominees have nearly $140,000 in gifts at their fingertips -- but before they claim their loot ... they might wanna consider Uncle Sam, who'll want his cut.

Every year, actors who get a nod from the Academy are also afforded a sweet goodie bag that's worth a bundle -- and this year is no different, with marketing company Distinctive Assets offering up a ton of prizes that, if claimed in full, are valued at $137k and change.

The gifts up for grabs include everything from an all-expenses-paid trip to Scotland with a 3-night stay at a fancy castle ($50k), free construction for a home renovation ($25k), a comped 4-night visit to a luxury spa resort ($15k), a plot of land in the U.K. and a noble title, free lipo ($12k) ... among lots of other perks in the form of services/experiences, or pricey objects.

Might sound cringe -- indeed, it has sparked outrage for a variety of reasons -- but here's the kicker ... the more gifts they claim from the lot, the more they pay down the road.

Yep, we're talking about taxes here ... and all signs point to a hefty bill if a majority of these gifts are accepted and/or used. Everything the nominees claim will be viewed as taxable income -- and some experts speculate that they can be taxed at a rate of 50% or higher!

Of course, that probably isn't lost on the stars themselves ... who may not take up any of the offerings being presented. In fact, Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary explains that just about $5,000 of the swag bag is made up of actual stuff they can take home ... the rest are services/trips. So, if a majority of the gifts go unclaimed, the bag isn't worth as much.

Still, the fact they're trotting out these gratuitously expensive carrots for the nominees at all -- something that's been going on for years, BTW -- has made some wonder... what's really important right now?

We're not saying they're dropping like flies, but COVID is getting in the way of the Oscars ... at least as far as Lin-Manuel Miranda is concerned.

The "Hamilton" mastermind is staying home Sunday night, after his wife tested positive for the virus.

He said ... "Made it to Hollywood … This weekend, my wife tested [positive] for COVID. She's doing fine. Kids & I have tested [negative], but out of caution, I won't be going to the Oscars tomorrow night."

Nonetheless, he was cheering on "Cheering for my Tick, Tick... Boom!" ... which could end up with some hardware ... Andrew Garfield is up for Best Actor.

There are a lot of nervous actors ... to gain entry into the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, they have to produce proof of vaccination and not one but 2 negative PCR tests. There are exceptions -- performers and presenters don't have to show proof of vaccination, which is weird, right?

You might run into someone you know at the supermarket and stop for a chat -- but when you're as rich and famous as this group here ... you do it on a fancy-schmancy runway.

Check out these photos of Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis casually bumping into Leonardo DiCaprio at the Van Nuys Airport Friday as they each seemed to be coming from and going on respective trips. This is where A-listers escape L.A., BTW -- forget LAX.

Word is, MK and AK were coming back from a getaway, and Leo was heading out. But, along the way, they ran into one another and exchanged pleasantries -- specifically, Mila and Leo.

As you can see, LDC was sitting down and smoking a cigarette, when Mila suddenly comes up to him ready to fist bump -- which Leo was happy to reciprocate. Looks like Ashton might've been busy getting their stuff ... no sign here of him and L-dog together.

Later, Mila was seen with her husband loading up bags into a car ... and Leo was left with his ciggie alone. Now, as for what they might've talked about -- there's lots of possibilities.

Of course, one of the topics that very well could've been brought up is Ukraine -- and each party's involvement with contributing financial aid to the country as they fight Russia. Ashton and Mila recently got a shout-out from Zelenskyy after they raised north of $35M.

Leo, for his part, is also said to have donated some dough to orgs that support Ukraine -- but he was falsely reported as having donated $10 mil of his own money ... a piece of fake news that got circulated online, which was debunked by the Associated Press.

The days of free-for-all movie theater seating is over ... something one man simply couldn't come to terms with in what turned out to be a hilarious meltdown that got him kicked out.

Check out this wild scene showing an older gent getting into a shouting match with cineplex staff ... all because he wouldn't go to his assigned seat, which he claimed was just a spot or two over from where he was in what appears to be a relatively empty screening room.

No word on where this exactly took place, or when ... but based on the video alone, you can tell the dude was not happy about the idea of pre-selected reservations -- and made a huge fuss over it.

The employees amazingly keep their cool in this tense situation -- eventually talking the guy down and convincing him to scram calmly ... even accommodating his request for a refund and a little extra. Indeed, the guy asked for a free drink ... and they said they could do it.

While it felt he was gonna have to get hauled out of there in cuffs, he ended up leaving on his own accord -- with a little help from the audience, which told him he was in the wrong.

Funny enough, he made sure to let everyone know he still felt he was correct in his stance ... saying he was the bigger person here. Finally, he turns to the room and sarcastically says he hopes they enjoy the show.

While it seems pretty cut-and-dried -- theoretically, you SHOULD sit in the seat for the ticket you bought -- some have wondered ... if there were plenty of chairs to spare, what's the big deal if he's in a seat or two over from where he should be??? In other words, who tattled???

LeBron James was a big winner Saturday night ... singled out for his work in a big-budget movie -- cause he won some Razzies!!!

LeBron was bestowed with the honor of "Worst Actor" Saturday during the 42nd annual Golden Raspberry Awards celebrating the worst in movies.

LeBron's trophy was an acknowledgment of his work in "Space Jam: The Legacy," in which he played himself ... well, sorta.

But wait, there's more. LeBron also won for "Worst Screen Couple" and "Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel."

Fear not, LeBron, because worse movies were made ... like "Diana the Musical" on Netflix, which snagged Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Director.

While it was a common theme in the show, the "Space Jam" remake wasn't quite as popular as "Diana the Musical" scooping up five trophies.

Jared Leto also scored with Worst Supporting Actor in "House of Gucci."

And, get this ... there was a special category for Bruce Willis ... Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie! It's for "Cosmic Sin" ... in case you're interested.

Shaun Weiss, famous for playing Goldberg in "The Mighty Ducks" franchise, is smiling like an all-star ... because he's got a permanent fix for all his lost and decayed teeth.

Shaun has finally completed his tooth reconstruction, recently getting his permanent upper implants to finish a process 2 years in the making.

Remember ... Shaun lost most of his teeth and had major decay due to years of drug abuse, culminating in his infamous mug shot, but when he started cleaning himself up he got a dental sponsorship for some new pearly whites.

Dr. Gabe Rosenthal did all the work for free, which typically cost around $100k  ... working pro bono after being moved by Shaun's path to sobriety.

While Shaun had some temporary implants installed back in 2020, we're told they were a temporary fix and he didn't feel comfortable speaking and eating with them. Now that he's got his new set of teeth he feels comfortable to perform some of his stand-up, do speaking engagements and interviews in the near future.

Shaun's got plenty of reason to show off his new pearly whites ... he celebrated 2 years of sobriety in January ... and he was so pleased with the work he gave Dr. Rosenthal an autographed 'Mighty Ducks' jersey to display in the dental office.

The world is bracing as the prospect of WWIII looms, and all eyes are on Putin, but just as serious a threat is North Korea, and Kim Jong-Un has made that clear in a new video.

It's, well bizarre ... the North Korean dictator is the star of a highly-produced video that almost mimics a Hollywood movie ... but this is way more ominous.

AP obtained the video from a third party and has not independently verified its authenticity, but it certainly looks real, as the country's leader and his military celebrates what has been called a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korea has been testing ICBMs with greater frequency recently, and the 38-year-old leader's mental stability makes his intentions cause for great concern.

North Korea does not have the ability to put a nuclear warhead on its ICBMs ... at least not yet, and experts have varying opinions as to when that could happen ... some think within a year or so.

Golf star Brooks Koepka used a famous line from "Tin Cup" to shut down a group of autograph seekers at an event in Texas on Wednesday -- and his channeling of David Simms was pretty spot-on.

TMZ Sports has learned the 31-year-old was out on the course for his opening round at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event in Austin, Texas ... when a group of people asked for his John Hancock.

We're told there were several kids in the group -- and when Brooks ignored them, a man screamed at him to stop for the children.

Video shows Brooks, while calmly walking away, did his best Don Johnson impression to get out of the signing.

"I got to work," he said. "I don't come to your job asking for your s***, do I? I don't think so!"

Brooks mixed up the wording just a tad -- Don's line in "Tip Cup" was "I'm working here. This is my office. Do I come to your office and ask you for your autograph? I don't think so!"

But, still, pretty funny, right?

Brooks is a connoisseur of golf films -- he's previously called "Happy Gilmore" his favorite one ever -- and back in 2020, he called at least one of the scenes in "Tin Cup" "realistic."

As for his play Wednesday following the interaction with fans, Koepka was solid against Erik van Rooyen -- and, no, there were no signs of him going full Kevin Costner and hitting balls into the water.

Taylor Lautner is one step closer to unloading his multi-million dollar estate ... because he's found a buyer.

According to real estate records, there is a pending sale on Taylor's $5 million home in the Agoura Hills area of Los Angeles.

Taylor's custom mansion is 5 bedrooms and 5,647 square feet ... and it's decked out with a 45-foot long infinity pool and spa, plus firepits, a BBQ area and a bocce ball court ... all with panoramic views of picturesque Lobo Canyon.

The place was built in 2020 and is super secluded ... the home sits on 9 acres in a small gated community, where there are only 11 properties. He bought it in 2020 for $3.8 million.

The primary suite is on the first floor, along with 2 other bedrooms and an office. There's a floating staircase leading to the second floor, which is home to a sports room, bedroom and a speakeasy lounge.

Taylor's pad also features a modern kitchen with imported Italian cabinets, French oak floors, and 12-foot ceilings ... not to mention a 6-car garage, security system and smart home technology.

The Academy is finally trying to do right by Rachel Zegler ... not only inviting her to be at the show ... but to present one of the night's Oscars.

A report says the "West Side Story" actress was recently contacted and offered the gig -- of course, the series of events over the last few days to get to this point have been awkward ... to say the least.

As we reported, the 20-year-old Best Picture star spilled the details Sunday, replying to a comment from a fan that was excited about her Oscar debut.

In response, Rachel wrote, "I'm not invited so sweatpants and my boyfriend's flannel." She later added, "I hope some last-minute miracle occurs and I can celebrate our film in person but hey, that's how it goes sometimes, I guess."

It's still unclear what the mix-up was ... seeing as costar Ariana DeBose is nominated and predicted to win Best Supporting Actress, the movie is up for Best Picture and Steven Spielberg is up for Best Director.

One of the most famous Marilyn Monroe images, painted by the late great Andy Warhol, is going up on the auction block, and it's expected to set a pretty amazing record ... as in $200 million worth of amazing!!!

You heard that right ... Christie's auction house in London is putting the painting up for auction in May, and the expected 9-figure price tag would make it the most expensive piece of 20th-century art ever sold.

If things go the way Christie’s thinks it will ... the sale would top the value of Picasso's piece, "Women of Algiers," which fetched $179.4 mil about 7 years ago.

This particular Warhol is known as "Shot Sage Blue Marilyn" -- there are 5 other versions in this Monroe series, each in a different color.

It comes from a collection owned by Swiss siblings, and all the proceeds will go to their Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation, which benefits children causes.

If the painting goes for $200 mil ... it will nearly double Warhol's previous auction record -- $105 million for a painting called "Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster)."

Already, the buzz about the Marilyn auction has brought back interest in all things Warhol, and his Netflix doc is trending again.

Amanda Bynes is less than 24 hours from personal freedom -- a judge just set the stage for the end of her conservatorship.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, the judge for the case issued a tentative ruling Monday saying Amanda's conservatorship is "no longer required."

While it's a tentative ruling, there is a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday morning and it's almost a certainty the judge will make it official ... because no one is objecting to Amanda's petition to end her conservatorship.

Remember ... the former child star was placed under a conservatorship back in 2013, following a string of bizarre episodes brought on by what she has said is bipolar disorder. Amanda says she's been sober for several years now, thanks in part to getting support through AA.

She filed the docs last month to end the 9-year conservatorship, a move her father and mother -- who is Amanda's conservator -- fully support.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are already taking steps to make their new mid-$50M house a home ... visiting the property with family and snapping pics inside the massive estate.

We're told the two spent more than 2 hours at the Bel-Air estate over the weekend, but they didn't go alone -- J Lo's daughter, Emme, tagged along -- as did the couple's security team.

Ben was spotted snapping pics inside the 20,000 sq ft pad, just before heading out again with the fam. Unclear if Ben wanted the pics for some design ideas, or just to show friends ... but either way, the home is spectacular.

The sale is significant in more ways than one for the couple ... you gotta assume there's an engagement on the horizon followed by an over-the-top wedding.

Of course, $50M can get you a lot -- even in Bel-Air -- the house is decked out with a home theatre, a gym, multiple kitchens, an infinity-edge pool with a view ... just to name a few.

The little Ukrainian girl who won over hearts with her rendition of a "Frozen" song is on to bigger and better things -- and that would be her country's national anthem.

7-year-old Amelia Anisovych performed "Shche ne vmerla Ukrainy" Sunday night at the Atlas Arena in Poland, where they were holding a charity concert to further Ukrainian aid there.

As you can see, Anisovych's rendition was pretty stirring ... with the crowd cheering her on, and even holding up their phone lights in solidarity. She got a huge round of applause once she wrapped, and for good reason -- she was awesome!

The kid is famous for a now-viral video of her singing "Let It Go" from down in a bunker in Kyiv, where she and her family had been hiding out for several days as the city was under attack.

Although her parents stayed behind -- Amelia, thankfully, made it out okay and is now across the Polish border ... where it seems they've welcomed her with open arms and then some.

Considering how well she's done so far in her music career, ya gotta figure she might have a future in the biz once this is all settled.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopped on Zoom to sing the praises of two American actors who have raised tens of millions of dollars in aid ... as Putin continues to rain bombs on Ukraine.

President Zelensky applauded Mila Kunis -- who was born in Ukraine -- and her husband Ashton Kutcher, for raising nearly $35 million to aid and support Ukrainian refugees ... "I thank them on behalf of our people ... on behalf all us," he said.

He called them a star couple "who believe in us in our victory in our future".

The Ukrainian Prez also posted a photo on Twitter of a video chat with the couple and thanked them for being among the first to respond ... "Grateful for their support. Impressed by their determination. They inspire the world. #StandWithUkraine,” he wrote.

The couple not only raised nearly $35 million in aid, but also pledged $3 million from their own pockets ... just 3 weeks after launching their GoFundMe Page. Their initial goal was $30 million, so they have already blown passed that by several million bucks.

"Today, I am a proud Ukrainian. While my family came to the United States in 1991, I was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine in 1983. Ukrainians are proud and brave people who deserve our help in their time of need," Mila wrote.

John Travolta has added a new flying machine to his aeronautical CV ... a 737.

JT just scored his 737 license ... and he was pleased to crow about it to his 3.8 million followers, saying, “Okay, so a very proud moment in my aviation history.”

He went on -- and this is interesting -- “To add to my 747 and 707 licenses, I just received my 737 (pilot) license, and it went very well.” It's interesting he chose to go for a jumbo jet -- the 747 -- and a 4 engine passenger jet -- the 707 -- before getting certified on the smaller, 2-engine 737.

The 68-year-old actor has a fleet of planes, including a Bombardier Challenger 601, a Boeing 707-138B, and an Eclipse 500.

He bought the 707 22 years ago for $77 million, tricking it out inside for another $20M.

It's pretty amazing ... the jet can seat 150 passengers, but Travolta reconfigured it so it carries 15 passengers in high style. It has 2 bedrooms and an impressive bathroom and shower.

John lives in a private aviation community in Florida that has a full-sized runway. He parks his jets the same we we park our cars.

John's been flying since he was 15 and got his first license back in 1978.