Kung Fu Panda 4

Kung Fu Panda 4 is playing at Galaxy Highland 10 starting Friday, September 4, with screenings running through September 5 and then again from September 8 to 10. It's the latest installment in the DreamWorks franchise that's been around since the original Kung Fu Panda came out in 2008.

That first movie was part of a run of DreamWorks hits alongside Shrek and Madagascar that made the 2000s a great era for kids' movies. Jack Black provided the voice for Po, and the song "Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting" became a huge cultural touchstone. The series has always leaned on that mix of action and wisecracking humor, and Black's voice is still the thing that gives Po his wit.

There's a bit of a contrast between that era and the one we're in now. The 2000s were when these franchises first took off, and the years since have seen a sequel epidemic that hasn't always delivered. But the action-packed, wisecracking style that defined the early days is still what carries the series, and it's a good bet that kids today will still get a kick out of it, largely thanks to Black. If you've followed Po from the beginning, this is the next chapter in that story.

Galaxy Highland 10 is at 6700 Middle Fiskville in Austin's Midtown, and the film is showing September 4-5 and September 8-10.