The adult HW is played by Russell Harvard an actor who is indeed deaf. Interestingly, he prepared for his role by working with renowned deaf actor and drama teacher Patrick Graybill to translate his lines into the kind of sign language used in the early 1900s (according to Galludet’s website: http://news.gallaudet.edu/?ID=12453). That’s why his signing may have looked a little strange to those of us who know ASL.

Also, I strongly disagree with the previous poster’s criticism that HW speaks like a person born deaf rather than born hearing. I am a hearing person with deaf people in the family, some of whom were born completely deaf, and some of whom lost their hearing during childhood after hearing and speaking English. Based on my communication with my deaf relatives, I would say that Harvard’s vocalization is even better than most people who lost their hearing in childhood after speaking and hearing English. Just think- if you couldn’t hear yourself, you wouldn’t know what you sounded like. You would be relying on muscle memory to produce sounds you could no longer hear. In the 15 years since HW lost his hearing, it is perfectly logical to assume that his ability to produce crystal-clear, perfect “hearing-world” speech would have diminished.

I loved this film for many reasons and applaud Blood for using Deaf actors to play deaf parts. Bravo!

“No Country For Old Men” is so superior in its rendition of a nihilistic view of America that the two films ought not even be mentioned in the same breath.

As for “Juno”, the script and the performance by the young star are truly outstanding. The positive charm of the film is delightful. It is unfair to compare this fine film to last year’s most overrated picture, “Little Miss Sunshine”, a work I found devoid of any merit.

Also, the soundtrack to Blood is also far superior than Juno (at least the music that made it into both films).

IMO… just from PTA’s script i believe “There Will Be Blood” will be amazing, even Oscar worthy.

I do wish Michael Cera would try to throw off the Arrested Development (one of my all time favorite shows) persona very soon and try something different.

As for doubting the quality of this film: Don’t listen to the haters in the above comments, do a google search, read the opinions of other critics. Do an imdb search, look at the user rating. And more importantly, see this movie when it comes out, and shoot me an email if you disagree. I’m betting you won’t.

They deserve the praise and publicity they’re getting.

I can’t wait to see this movie again because sometimes it was hard to hear the dialogue because the audience was laughing so much.

I’ve already begun to recommend this movie to friends, family and co-workers.

I can’t wait to see There Will Be Blood - I adore Daniel Day Lewis you know you’re getting something good when he’s in a film.

Hey man, you’re not alone. At least, amongst audiences in college and film school, “Juno” is definitely getting a lot of rolled eyes. I liked “TYFS” for its originality and mix of socio-politico comedy and believe that Reitman is a comedic voice that will deliver more goods in the future.

However, “Juno” feels very calculated - from its posters to its dialogue- to exemplify and hiply package INDIE QUIRK for a mainstream audience. It’s like Reitman saw “Little Miss Sunshine” and decided that he could make a better one. This is a film that looks and sounds like its sponsored by Urban Outfitters and Peter, you have to acknowledge that this sentiment is out there amongst 18-20somethings because it is. That “homeskillet” line is the type of “white guy talk like rapper hee hee” line that wasn’t exactly cool 10 years ago. And sure, Rotten Tomatoes is rating it high, but most of those reviewers are 40 years old and a little out of touch.

“Juno” will face the same long-term argument with younger audiences that “The Royal Tennebaums” did and, unfortunately, Wes Anderson might never live down. We may have never seen these characters in “Juno” before, but for a lot of us, they existed as cookie-cutter quirk patterns in our mind long before Reitman started filming and Diablo started writing. It’s this year’s “Little Miss Preggos (hah preggos!)” and for many of us, barf.

Meanwhile, “There Will Be Blood” will hopefully get both the nom and the O for Best Pic. This is a director trying a different genre and character study from anything he’s done before, and ripples with current social, anecdotal and worldly undercurrents that need to be addressed right now (and not in “war films”). This is a film that is haunting, beautiful and exemplifies film as a beloved craft of much tradition. DDL is on fire, infusing his character with greed, hate and ambition until he transcends into a restless force that defined America in the 20th and 21st Centuries. If “Juno” wins, we will surely look back at that Awards ceremon(e)y and wonder what the fuck happened, as if often the case. PTA has topped “Boogie Nights” with an entirely different masterwork and that is no small feat. I haven’t been this excited by a movie since “Kill Bill.” “TWBB” is epic, up there with the Kubrick epics. It’s been a long time since we could say that.

One more thing, its hard to contend a movie as ‘Best of the year’ when it’s released on 12/26. I say this because people/critics/bloggers have already started putting out their top10-20-50-200 lists and we’ve still got one whole month left in 2007.

And I think 2007 will be remembered as the year of Seth Rogen & Judd Apatow.

My top3 thus far:
1. Once
2. Juno
3. Eastern Promises
*always subject to change

Here is a classic example of a voiceless journeyman director who will only be as good as his material. He might make all his days production-wise and always come in under budget but in ten years no one will remember his work exists.

And 2007 will be remembered as the year of the Coens.

May I also suggest that perhaps No Country For Old Men should also be included in this? It really is a spectacular film.