39 James Street, Fortitude Valley

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Overview

Palace used to operate the Village Twin cinemas at New Farm but opened their classy new cinemas on James Street at the end of 2000. I can remember going to the cinema opening in December 2000 to watch Meet The Parents. The cinema features four cinemas of varying styles and sizes. The cinema does not yet have a 3D projector.

Movie Quality & Range - 9 out of 10

Palace are a leader in showing great art-house films and are lucky to have four screens on which to show them. On top of this, they host foreign-language film festivals at varying times throughout the year where you get the one-off chance to see films you might not otherwise see.  In 2010, I  was lucky enough to host a Q&A with the Joel Edgerton and Radha Mitchell, the stars of the Australian film The Waiting City.

We all have different tastes but it is the Palace which shows my kind of movies!

Cinema Quality & Service - 9 out of 10

They're almost 10 years old but this complex still has a new, trendy feel. I like how each cinema is different in terms of look and style (although the back seats in cinema 1 are not my favourite). There’s ample leg-room, beverage holders, easy access and comfy seats. My only qualm would be some of the queues that result from squeezing too many films in together. It’s not good when you’ve got your ticket and are still waiting in the foyer for a film that's due to start in 5 minutes.

The Valley is a happening area and car parking can be difficult (particularly during the day). Be prepared for a small walk as you’re unlikely to secure one of those “golden” car parks outside the front entrance. If you’re looking to socialize, there aren’t many better locations. Lux Restaurant and the James Street Bistro are right outside (and I’ve been there many a time).

The service is usually excellent.  The friendly staff are well groomed and have an appreciation for cinema.

Price - 7 out of 10

The following pricing information is current as at December 2010.

Ticket Prices

· Tickets can be bought on-line through the Palace website for an additional $1 fee.

· Whilst tickets can be booked on-line, there is no reserved seating except for special screenings.  So it's best to get there early to ensure you get a good seat.

· The standard price above might seem a little steep but given the cheap cost of the movie club (see below), you should always be able to get adequately priced tickets.

Candy Bar

· As the cinema is licenced, beer and wine is also available in additional to traditional candy bar offerings.  However, you usually can't take alcohol into the cinema (as the licencing doesn't extend that far).  Special permission is obtained for film festivals and other big events.