Grey Street, South Brisbane

Check out their website by clicking here.

Overview

This used to be Brisbane's only IMAX cinema but struggling sales saw it close.  It was then bought in 2003 by the owners of the Hawthorne/Balmoral cinemas for $6m and they haven't looked back.  With Brisbane's biggest single screen (a 25m monster), it's become one of the city's most popular places to be.  There are also four other smaller screens which are only a few years old themselves and still in good condition. The cinema now has a 3D projector.

Movie Quality & Range - 6 out of 10

The cinema usually only shows the big Hollywood blockbusters.  Also on the positive side is the fact that they usually show the week's best film on the 25m screen.  If it's loud and full of special effects, this is where you want to be on opening weekend.

Cinema Quality & Service - 6 out of 10

Well you won't find a bigger screen than the 25m one.  I think you tend to lose a little bit of quality with it projected so large but you still get that "epic" feel.  Unfortunately, the major cinema is also a major pain to get in and out of.  The rows are enormously long so if you're sitting in the middle, prepare to clamber over about 30 or so people if you're looking to head to the bathroom.  The other 4 cinemas are much more comfortable (but of course you only get the standard screen).  Service is reasonable but with the low prices, don't expect too much.  This is a cinema that differentiates itself by price (which is great) as opposed to quality service.

Parking at Southbank can be a serious rip-off so if you see a movie, you'll be happy to know you can secure 4 hours parking for just $5 when you see a movie.  Details are on their website.  There's a host of restaurants in the area.  The cinema has a small café itself on the upper level known as The Meeting Place but I have never sampled it myself.

With their low-low prices, queues are your biggest problem here.  Many a weekend and evening session are sold out so if you're not there early, prepare to miss out and be very, very annoyed.

Price - 9 out of 10

The following pricing information is current as at December 2012.

Ticket Prices

· Tickets can be bought on-line through the Cineplex website for an additional $0.40 fee.

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

· This is easily the cheapest cinema in Brisbane (along with the others in the Cineplex chain).

· Once again, these are the cheapest candy bar prices in Brisbane!

To check out my thoughts on other cinemas in Brisbane, click here.