“Power Ballad,” the new film from Irish auteur John Carney, hits theaters this week, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas as a songwriter and a pop star wrestling for recognition over a hit song. Carney, the former bassist for the Irish rock band the Frames, has carved out a niche for himself making feel-good music movies that hit the crowd-pleaser sweet spot, starting with his breakout film “Once.”

So if “Power Ballad” scratches a melodic itch, give the rest of Carney’s filmography a spin, because just like the songs he writes, they’re addictive earworms you’ll want to revisit again and again, and reliable favorites that you know can please an audience of all ages. Keep these in your back pocket for the next movie night.

Carney’s 2006 film “Once” was a low-budget indie that gained enormous success, eventually winning the Oscar for the film’s song “Falling Slowly.” Starring Frames frontman Glen Hansard and Czech musician Markéta Irglová, “Once” is the story of a pair of struggling musicians in Dublin and their love story (Hansard also appeared in the classic Irish music movie “The Commitments”). Rent “Once” on all digital platforms.

Carney’s pre-“Once” filmography, including a 2001 film “On the Edge” starring Cillian Murphy and Stephen Rea, and his series “Bachelors Walk” is impossible to find on streaming right now. But he’s had a string of charming films and the 2019 “Modern Love” series based on the New York Times column, which is currently available on MGM+.

In 2013, he directed “Begin Again,” starring Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley, who plays a singer-songwriter recording an album all over New York City with the help of a record exec played by Ruffalo. While the film wasn’t as well-reviewed as his previous “Once,” it’s still worth checking out, on Kanopy or for rent.

He bounced back with the 2016 film “Sing Street,” about a teenager (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) in 1980s Dublin who starts a band to get a girl (Lucy Boynton). The band, named Sing Street, cycles through aping different kinds of popular music, from Duran Duran to the Cure to Hall & Oates, finding their voice by copying their influences. The songs, mostly composed by Danny Wilson frontman Gary Clark, are some of the most perfect rock pop songs. Rent this delightful coming-of-age tale on all digital platforms.

In 2023, Carney directed the mother-son comedy “Flora and Son,” starring the scion of literal Irish rock royalty, Eve Hewson, the daughter of U2 frontman Bono. Hewson plays Flora, a struggling single mom, who discovers a love for music while trying to bond with her troubled son. Frequent Carney collaborator Jack Reynor stars as her ex, and the film is the story of a nontraditional family coming together over a shared hobby. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Flora’s L.A.-based guitar teacher who helps her find her voice. Carney and Clark once again collaborated on the original songs for the film. Stream “Flora and Son” on Apple TV.

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