Luna Palace Cinemas — Local services in Leederville

I love Luna Leederville. Located on the corner of Oxford Street and Vincent Street, it’s the heartland of independent cinema in Perth. They also play mainstream movies. But more on that later.

There are several screens at Luna. Cinema one serves as the primary theatre, and there are also several smaller cinema rooms that make for a more intimate setting. I saw ‘flow’ in one of these rooms. It’s an animated movie about a cat’s fateful journey following the loss of its home after an environmental disruption. There was no dialogue – an unusual concept – but in this instance, the lack of dialogue was made up for through the use of spectacular visuals and a great story. It's a fantastic film.

If you go to a movie in cinema one, try and get a seat on the balcony. It's a great vibe and you have a spectacular view of the screen and the theatre. Downstairs is great too.

The staff at Luna are really fun and friendly people, which is awesome. They provide great service that makes going to the movies a fun experience.

There’s a good selection of tasty treats on offer as well, from M & Ms and choc bombs to the all-important popcorn. They also do coffee, which is a great option anytime of the day.

This week, I went to see a Humphrey Bogart double feature, the first being ‘Casablanca’, co-starring Ingrid Bergman. It’s such a great film, known for memorable lines such as “of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine”. I’d seen Casablanca before but always enjoy watching it – it’s a timeless classic that keeps getting better. At the end of the screening, the audience clapped and cheered, which enhanced the atmosphere even more.

The film after 'Casablanca' was ‘The Big Sleep’, a detective story with the talented Lauren Bacall co-starring alongside Bogey. I hadn’t seen this movie before, but I’m pleased to say that it’s a great film. There’s sharp dialogue, a good story with an air of suspense, and just the right amount of comic relief. Lauren Bacall’s style and class easily match Bogey’s no-nonsense portrayal of a detective on the case.

There’s something about movies from the golden age of Hollywood that naturally draw you in. Being shot in black and white helps to create a gritty mood. When this is paired with great acting and skilful direction, you’ve really got something. Actors including ‘Bogey’ and Ingrid Bergman have a style and elegance about them. This adds a layer of richness that makes their films eternal classics.

Luna also plays 'modern' classics too, along with double features on Monday nights. This year, they also did a screening of James Cameron’s ‘The Abyss’. So, if you’re more into mainstream movies, they have you covered too.

Also known for showcasing international film festivals, Luna is a great place to view foreign films. I went along to a movie there that was part of the German film festival. But that's just the start. Luna also showcases other festivals such as the Italian and Polish film festivals.

I’ve been to Luna outdoor too (located at Luna Leederville). Your seating options are beanbags and chairs. Plus, the outdoor setting really enhances the atmosphere. On my visit, I went to see ‘Evil Dead 2’ - the ultimate 80s horror comedy. It’s filled with laugh out loud moments that – thanks to the direction of Sam Raimi – blend seamlessly with an otherwise dark subject matter. This movie worked particularly well outdoors, especially for the scenes in the woods. To top it off, Ash's (played by the fantastic Bruce Campbell) clash with the evil dead just gets better with age.

What I love about Luna is that it’s so much more than a cinema. It’s a place where you can utterly absorb yourself in film in a place that is really fun to hang out in. Movie buffs will love it. Right now, inside the foyer there’s a scale model of two Godzillas standing outside the front of Luna Leederville. To top it off – in a homage to back to the future – there’s also a model of Doc Brown’s DeLorean. This is the sort of effort and attention to detail that makes Luna well...

I've been meaning to write this review for a while, but better late than never. I attended Luna Palace for the first time when they hosted the event for cat videos.

The service at the counter when ordering food and drinks was horrendous - staff were rude, arrogant and unfriendly. As another review stated, it felt like we were in trouble and were not welcome at the venue.

Once my friends and I got into the theatre, I sat down and accidentally knocked my popcorn, spilling it on the floor. There was a middle aged woman inside the theatre sweeping the floor, and she saw what happened, looked at me and said "I'm not cleaning that", then proceeded to hand me an empty popcorn box so I could clean it up with my hands. NEVER in my life have I experienced service so poor. She could have easily asked me politely to clean it up, or said that she would wait until the event was over to get rid of the mess. Also, have you guys ever heard of a vacuum? Or perhaps side tables where patrons can put their food and drinks on?

At the time, I was also going through some personal issues and this day in particular had been really bad, so I was quite looking forward to this. Now I've had one bad experience and I will never go back.

Do yourself a favour and don't waste your money, time or energy...

Luna Palace Leederville is awesome, I have been going here for 20+ years as often as I can. Great selection of smaller arthouse and international movies, in an intimate setting. Some of the screens are small and some are huge, it doesn't matter. Awesome venue, awesome place and in the heart of one of the most fabulous restaurant strips. The parking can be an issue if you don't know where you are going but Oxford Street has free unlimited parking after 7pm (ticketed upto 2 hours prior), there is a car park off Newcastle which is behind The Leederville Hotel which is longer than 2 hours, you just pay by the hour, or plenty of free street parking if you walk 10 minutes out and park in a residential street. Don't care what it costs, the experience is awesome. They also have THE most comfortable chairs ever in the foyer, great little bar for a pre drink or one to take into the cinema with you, no children or annoying teenagers. Just a great venue, great audience and ever trip is a pleasure. We go as often as we can. Fantastic quality films being shown here, I recommend. Enjoy! and grab a bite to eat at either Ria or Pinchos less than 5 minutes from the cinema. Great night out! see you again...