olsonjk Reviews

George Carlin: Life Is Worth Losing (2005 TV Special)

An amazing barrage of verbal dexterity

[10/10 · 5 November 2005]

Brilliant. Edgier than ever. I hope someone has taken down his opening monologue and posts it in the Memorable Quotes area. Truly one of the supreme comic geniuses of our time. I particularly enjoyed the hypothesizing about "Suicide TV," and the skewering of America's obsession with all things sensationalized. Nobody is ever safe from Carlin's wit and command of the English language, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Interesting to see how he has elaborated on elements of his live stage act from two years ago. I also appreciated how there was much, much less time devoted to non sequiturs and more ramblings that were all connected, often in a very twisted and disturbing way. Here's hoping for more Carlin specials to come.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

An Extraordinary Movie!

[10/10 · 13 January 2002]

"A Beautiful Mind" is one of the most wonderful films I have seen in a long time. It tells the story of mathematician John Nash and his rise to Princeton, to his fall with mental illness, to his rise as he overcomes his condition. Russel Crowe's performance is certainly Oscar-worthy, becoming Nash on screen and realistically and emotionally portraying this character that is so different from others he has played on screen. Ron Howard deserves a big nod, as well for successfully allowing the audience to get into Nash's mind and share with him his fears and relationships due to his mental condition. Jennifer Connelly and Ed Harris were also at their best in this film as supporting roles. James Horner's music was both eerie and sympathetic to Nash's character and fit very well in the film.

See this movie, folks. You'll be glad you did! Bravo to all involved!