'Tis the Season! Smithtown-Made "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point" Now Available On Demand

"Christmas Eve in Miller's Point," the new critically acclaimed arthouse flick with mass appeal on the block, and that also filmed just around the block, is officially available to rent via on demand platforms like Amazon Prime Video for $5.99, where it can also be purchased for $19.99. Just after its initial select theatrical release concludes on Dec. 5th at the IFC Center in Manhattan, the film wielding clear titular interest in showcasing the festive feasts that define this most wonderful time of the year will also be free to stream on AMC+ the following day: Dec. 6th. Primarily shot in and around Smithtown, Selden and Holbrook, "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point" was high-scale indie produced in conjunction with established SAG-AFTRA talent and rising stars both on-screen and behind the camera. Together, they pursued a singular mission: to make the quintessential Long Island holiday joint. After world-premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and touring the international slate, "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point" locally reached the Hamptons International Film Festival in October, and finally saw a multi-week run at Regal Deer Park Stadium of the Tanger Outlets last month—along with over 400+ theaters hosting screenings nationwide. Tyler Taormina, a Smithtown High School West '09 alum turned independent cinema staple at this juncture, is lauded for his mastery of directing seasoned talent and street-cast non-actors alike. From a screenplay he co-wrote with childhood best friend, fellow Smithtown Wildcat Eric Berger, comes "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point:" an intimate portrait of specifically Western Suffolk County suburban life that Taormina has directed with utmost sensitivity and precision. After years of honing his craft with some unaired pilots for Nickelodeon and underground shorts for lowkey Los Angeles audiences shortly thereafter, Taormina's feature-length debut hit the modern indie film resurgence at just the right time. His 2019 surrealist coming-of-age odyssey, entitled "Ham on Rye," was made for only $20,000 in LA—yet successfully willed he and his Omnes Film collective into long-term "rising filmmakers to look out for" territory. Michael Cera ("Arrested Development," "Superbad") caught a screening of 'Ham' one day, and instantly knew he wanted to work with Taormina and Berger on whatever they pursued next. CUT TO: a few short years later. After having become fast friends, the A-lister was able to help rally respectable interest in Taormina and Berger's passion project, opening doors that would have otherwise remained permanently closed. He proved instrumental in the greenlighting of an ambitious project with an unorthodox structure; one that encapsulates what it means to be at once all consumed with transparently ritualistic excitement as you are ever basking in unshakeable melancholy when struck with the notion that all good things come to an end. Meanwhile, as the earliest and most popular marketing material for the film revealed, Cera's on-screen involvement is as a red light road warrior—a deader-than-Disco deadpan cop who, alongside his partner in fighting crime, "On Cinema's" Gregg Turkington, have inspired many Reddit theories. Some even suppose that these wink-to-"Superbad" goofball officers of the law just may be from another time, another place, another movie set—or even outer space. Back in the ping-ponging, two-pronged world most of the film lives in: it's about that good-old tug-of-war between the family you were born into, and that surrogate family you choose to wreak havoc with at every turnstop—not because you don't love your family, but expressly because you do. Self-playing pianos. Cute-as-can be pets, and others that invite nothing but suspense. "We may trust our kids a little too much with our" vintage cars. Diner tabletop needle-drops—nay—bangers. 24-hour bagel extravaganzas. Makeout cove. Ice skating in the wild. Salami-wrapped pretzel sticks, again. Rock 'em, sock 'em… Reborn are the memories both epic and minute of Christmastime's past that you thought you had left there, but are proud to recognize you have brought with you along this unavoidable journey called growing up. "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point" is a movie that makes you confront the passing of time and the inevitability of aging with no fear, some tears, and Gorp Beers. Standout scenes singled out by the general consensus that which hit like a life-sized Hess Truck come possessively to life under the too-small-to-contain-it-so Christmas Tree include: (1) the trippiest Fire Truck parade scene ever shot, in collaboration with the Smithtown Fire Department and locally sourced extras; and: (2) a living room memory lane stroll per breaking out the old VHS tapes. Notes: The Guardian: "It might resemble other family dramas, but there's a hum of something strange underneath, a sense that life is about surrendering to the infinite flow of events." The latter sequence blends actual home videos of some of the film's adult actors as young children, and wedding footage shot with an authentically old camera and extras adorned in even older wardrobe. These pieces were collected via donations and assembled by another natural born Smithtownian: Taormina and Berger's childhood friend turned costume designer, Kim Odenthal. Many townsfolk who lent resources and galvanized additional support for the production were not disappointed when the local rollout was finally underway. "Fun, quirky movie, and my '69 Chevelle was in it 4 times," Randy Bublitz, of St. James, writes. "Thanks for the credit at the end." "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point" has already topped or ranked on many esteemed outlets' "Best of…" yearly lists. Stay tuned for more as the holidays approach. The film stars: Matilda Fleming, Ben Shenkman, Maria Dizzia, Lev Cameron, Gregg Turkington, Francesca Scorsese, Sawyer Spielberg, and Michael Cera (also a producer); and an eclectic ensemble of additional locally hired performers making their big-screen debut or earning their big break in a film with annual revisitation in its make-up and forecast. "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point" can be rented or purchased on Amazon Prime Video as of Dec. 3rd. It will be free to stream with an AMC+ subscription starting on Dec. 6th.

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'Tis the Season! Smithtown-Made "Christmas Eve in Miller's Point" Now Available On Demand