4 Non-Hunger Games Films You Should See Jennifer Lawrence In

So if you're like most of America, you're salivating over the release of "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," which is playing theaters now, and part of that reason is Jennifer Lawrence playing Katniss Everdeen. At just 23 years of age, she's already garnered two Oscar nominations, won one trophy, has enjoyed huge box office success and is officially one of America's darlings.

She's also cute as a button but still comes off as a regular girl, whether she's tripping on the way up to collect her Oscar or talking to David Letterman about pooping her pants. She comes off more as the proverbial girl next door than your average stuck-up Hollywood starlet. She's perhaps just a touch crazy, but just the right amount of crazy.

But even if you're a "Hunger Games" fan, did you notice her before she hit it big? With her first major starring role coming in 2010, she doesn't have a huge filmography yet, but her credits are impressive nonetheless. If you haven't seen these movies, you have some catching up to do.

Winter's Bone (2010)

Lawrence absolutely owns the screen as Ree, a teen living in poor rural Missouri searching for her missing father, who was involved in drugs and is probably dead. She endures taunts and threats while playing mother to her sisters. Looking back, "Bone" could almost be the arthouse prequel to "The Hunger Games," which I mean as a total compliment. "Bone" is a scintillating film that earned a then-unknown Lawrence her first Oscar nomination, but many people still haven't seen the film. I can't recommend it highly enough, though; see it . Also, check out our interview with "Bone" director Debra Granik.

Silver Linings Playbook (2011)

Lawrence is brilliant as the troubled Tiffany, who catches the attention of Pat (Bradley Cooper). Bringing levity and fun to this romantic drama, Lawrence stands out in a cast full of great performances (Cooper, Robert DeNiro, Jacki Weaver and even Chris Tucker). Her chemistry with Cooper is outstanding, and she breathes life and vitality into her character while managing to sizzle as a romantic lead. She won her Academy Award for this role.

X-Men: First Class (2011)

Taking over for Rebecca Romijn as the blue-skinned Mystique, Lawrence imbues a sense of pathos into a character who previously had been mostly icy menace. Lawrence's Raven Darkholme is a shapeshifter who comes to view her ability to make herself look "normal" (i.e., like most others) as a curse as much as a gift. Her slow turn of allegiance from Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) to Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is a large part of the film's narrative, one that hopefully will be revisited in the upcoming sequel "X-Men: Days of Future Past."

The Beaver (2011)

Lawrence acts alongside Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster and more than holds her own in this offbeat drama. Gibson plays an emotionally troubled man who finds he's only able to communicate through a beaver handpuppet. Lawrence plays a valedictorian cheerleader who taps Gibson's son (Anton Yelchin) to write her graduation speech and finds there's more to him than she imagined. "The Beaver" is a really good movie that was overlooked upon its release, and Lawrence shines in it in a smallish role.