I'm still having trouble envisioning Heath as the Joker, but that's not even in the same league as the "meh" I felt about Katie Holmes (though I did like her in GO).

I'm still having trouble envisioning Heath as the Joker

I'm totally not having any qualms about this. I think back to some scenes in 10 Things I Hate About You. He's got this wide grin that I think will be perfect for the joker. Plus, he can sing and dance with some level of grace. I wonder if it's just "laconic, repressed gay cowboy" that is overshadowing any picture of him as the Joker.

I'm totally not having any qualms about this.

It's not so much "qualms" as "don't really see it". But I just realized that I may have never actually seen Heath Ledger in anything, and am just going on what movies I know he's done.

I can't see it either, but I am amused at how incestuous it is now, with the Heath --> Jake --> Maggie connection.

They're already showing sneak previews (sans most of the CGI effects) of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, according to the Chicago Tribune (the rest of the article is pretty lame--this is all they have about OotP):

[S]ome very fortunate Chicago folks have lucked into local sneak screenings of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the film that isn't due to be released until July 13.

The movie still isn't finished - evidently there are plenty of special effects to come - but based on reports from fans who got in, The Leaky Cauldron (leakynews.com) offers tons of juicy details about how the movie version of "OoP" differs from the book; how some new characters come across (Irish schoolgirl Evanna Lynch is said to be a knockout as the dreamy, quirky student; Luna Lovegood, and veteran British actress Imelda Staunton brings Dolores Jane Umbridge to life as a twisted bureaucrat who comes to Hogwarts to teach the sanitized, ministry-approved course Defense Against the Dark Arts.)

Ain't It Cool News (aintitcool.com) has posted a review giving the movie a B+ with plenty of details why, so forge ahead but beware of spoilers.

I wonder if it's just "laconic, repressed gay cowboy" that is overshadowing any picture of him as the Joker.

For me it's also his talkative but repressed exorcist priest from The Order, his too-cool-for-his-own skin hood from 10 Things I Hate About You, his stalwart pauper knight from A Night's Tale, and basically every movie I've ever seen him in, which—while excellent performances all—give me no indication that he can manage the manic energy and unbalanced quality needed for the Joker. I haven't seen Casanova, and that looks to be the only thing on his resume that might hint at how he'll do.

Wow, I loved This Film Has Not Been Rated I believe Jack Valenti is a demon.

Ledger was almost unrecognizable in Lords of Dogtown, although it was a smallish role, so it's feasible to me that he could play a role as different from others he's done as the Joker.

Wow, I loved This Film Has Not Been Rated I believe Jack Valenti is a demon.

erika is me.

I can't find the Aint it Cool review. Is it actually there?