At the Movies: What to Watch This School Holidays

Spend a lazy afternoon at the cinemas during these school holidays. There are a few new movies out now for children of all ages.

Here is a taste of what’s on in April 2024, complete with trailers:

Kung Fu Panda 4

Unfortunately, we have to wait until June for the new Despicable Me 4 movie, but in the meantime, there’s Kung Fu Panda 4. Directed by Mike Mitchell, this will keep the youngest one entertained for 94 minutes.

Story: Follow Po on his wide-eyed adventures in ancient China, whose love of kung fu is matched only by an insatiable appetite.

Stars: Awkwafina, Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Bryan Cranston, David Cross, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Ke Huy Quan, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Ian McShane.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Adventures

The ghostly adventures keep coming and this latest version has a PG rating. See it on the big screen for the ultimate experience. It is directed by Gil Kenan and runs for 115 minutes.

Story: In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Stars: Dan Aykroyd, Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace, Ernie Hudson, Logan Kim, Kumail Nanjiani, Celeste O’Connor, Patton Oswalt, Annie Potts, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard.

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire

For older kids and parents with a soft spot for the two legendary monsters, the M-rated Godzilla X Kong is a go-to. Directed by Adam Wingard with a runtime of 115 minutes.

Story: The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of “Godzilla vs. Kong” with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. 

Stars: Fala Chen, Alex Ferns, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Kaylee Hottle, Dan Stevens.

Dune: Part 2

The eagerly awaited Dune: Part 2 is in cinemas just in time for the holidays. It’s M-rated, directed by Denis Villeneuve and runs for 165 minutes. Dune is based on the novel by Frank Herbert.

Story: Duke Paul Atreides joins the Fremen and begins a spiritual and martial journey to become Muad’dib, while trying to prevent the horrible but inevitable future he’s witnessed: a Holy War in his name, spreading throughout the known universe.

Stars: Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgard, Christopher Walken, Souheila Yacoub.

As you can see, many of these hits are remakes or follow-ups. Are any of these movies on your watch list? Let us know in the comments below.