Launcher Keeps Crashing with Error "Java(TM) Platform SE binary is not responding"

After I boot up minecraft and click "play" from the launcher, the game begins to load, but stops short of completion and the window becomes unresponsive. I really want to play this game, and I'm currently extremely disappointed in my purchase. I have updated my NVIDIA GeForce to the most current version and I have hardbooted my system on multiple occasions. This issue has persisted since I purchased and downloaded the client earlier today, and I have been unable to play the game at all, always falling short of the loading being complete.