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Our five favorite Bradley Cooper movies

This weekend Cameron Crowe's romantic drama Aloha hits theaters, and though the film has a huge cast that includes Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, Danny McBride, Alec Baldwin and John Krasinksiki, the film's lead role belongs to one of this generation's most popular actors: Bradley Cooper.

So while we've got him on our minds, let's say "aloha" to our five favorite Bradley Cooper movies.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel Entertainment has done an amazing job at attracting some of the industry's finest talents in front of and behind the camera, and Guardians of the Galaxy provided one of the most intriguing and unique casts in the history of comic book movies. Bradley Cooper's role as the feisty, snarky Rocket Raccoon makes for one of the most bizarrely hilarious and heartfelt characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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As an actor, Cooper took a daring chance pulling off such a strange character, but the combination of James Gunn's witty dialogue and the performance of the rest of film's cast work together to make the movie stand out among Marvel's films. Cooper's humor helps make Rocket Raccoon a creative force of nature unseen in other comic book films.

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Rocket the Raccoon is voiced by Bradley Cooper in Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy.
Rocket the Raccoon is voiced by Bradley Cooper in Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy.(HANDOUT / MCT)

The Place Beyond the Pines

Derek Cianfrance's The Place Beyond the Pines is an absorbing crime drama that tells three different stories and succeeds in sowing together a large cast into a compilation of generations. Cooper delivers one of his most subtle performances to date as a rookie cop that struggles with his duties as both an agent of the law and a father. Cooper's role is not only a demonstration of his dramatic abilities but also an integral part of the film's message.

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As a story of fathers and sons, The Place Beyond the Pines does an excellent job at exploring these bonds between the characters, specifically Cooper's relationship with Ryan Gosling, and though the two actors are rarely on screen together their dynamic is one of the film's most unique relationships. Cooper does a great job at delivering on the film's storytelling tactics, and is both an understated role and career breakthrough.

Bradley Cooper in The Place Beyond the Pines.
Bradley Cooper in The Place Beyond the Pines.(Focus Features)

Silver Linings Playbook

Bradley Cooper's first Academy-Award nomination was for his first collaboration with David O. Russell in Silver Linings Playbook. Cooper's role as Pat, a bipolar teacher recovering from his tenure in a mental institution, is a perfect union of his comedic and dramatic sensibilities in a role that demands a commitment to the character's relationships with the supporting cast.

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Though the plot may seem similar to many other romantic comedies, the dialogue and script transcends the genre from frivolous entertainment to an exemplary compilation of comedy and drama. Most importantly, Cooper and Lawrence are a dynamite on-screen team that's touching, heartfelt and hilarious.

Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper star in "Silver Linings Playbook," from the Weistein...
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper star in "Silver Linings Playbook," from the Weistein Company.(Handout / MCT)

American Sniper

Bradley Cooper's collaboration with Clint Eastwood in American Sniper is one of his best roles yet. While Cooper has had his share of comedic roles, he is taken completely seriously in the film and carries the its emotional weight in brilliant fashion. The extremely physical role is very convincing on Cooper's part, as is his excellent chemistry with co-star Sienna Miller.

Also remarkable is the change and development that Cooper brings to his portrayal of Chris Kyle. While an abundance of plot can usually become a barrier to character development in war films, the overarching themes of this film overshadow individual plotlines and provide an effectively haunting look at the character. The film does an excellent job at establishing the influences and elements that affected Kyle's life and concludes in an emotional way.

In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Bradley Cooper appears in a scene from...
In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Bradley Cooper appears in a scene from "American Sniper."(Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures / AP)

American Hustle

Bradley Cooper's best performance yet is as the quirky FBI agent Richie DiMaso in American Hustle. Similar to his role in Silver Linings Playbook, Cooper is given a completely ridiculous character to play, but is able to portray him with such accuracy and comedic genius that he steals the film.

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Perhaps the best part of the quirky world that David O. Russell has created is the interesting characters that inhabit it. It is very clear that every actor in the film has not only extensively read the script, but has made it a point to inhabit the characters. The connection between the actors and script is so clear that the whole film feels open to improvisation, and Cooper's wild performance part of the vision for the film.

This film image released by Sony Pictures shows Bradley Cooper, left, and Christian Bale in...
This film image released by Sony Pictures shows Bradley Cooper, left, and Christian Bale in a scene from "American Hustle."(Francois Duhamel / AP)