Perth's best Cinemas

How do you decide where to see a movie? Is it the closest cinema? The cheapest? Or simply the next session? You may not know it, but competition for your movie dollar is fiercer than ever thanks to the proliferation of piracy and impact of high-end home cinemas, some of which now out-gun smaller or older cinemas. So it comes down to a mix of quality, comfort and value for money. Having seen movies in every Perth cinema countless times, film critic Shannon Harvey is in the perfect position to judge Perth's best cinemas. His results may help you choose your next visit to the movies.

BEST OVERALL CINEMA COMPLEX

READING, BELMONT

The US cinema giant already had an edge with its distinctive stadium seating system, but after a $2.8 million renovation at Belmont, including the addition of Perth's best new luxury cinema (the three-screen Gold Lounge) and Perth's best state-of-the-art cinema (the Titan Extreme), it's a clear winner. Managed with aplomb by young dynamo Brendyn Wyatt, whose young staff are always friendly and professional, the complex offers plenty of parking and shopping at the adjoining Belmont Forum. Go on Terrific Tuesday and most tickets are just $11. For being the best overall cinema in Perth, it wins a double pass to a movie of its choice.

BEST LUXURY CINEMA

GOLD LOUNGE, READING BELMONT

Opened last November — and still with that new carpet smell — Reading's three-cinema Gold Lounge topples Event Cinemas' Gold Class and Hoyts' Carousel La Premiere as the best luxury cinema in Perth. It's both stylish and state-of-the-art, from the plush waiting lounge and bar to the brushed-leather electric recliners. There are bigger screens and more seats than Gold Class, and it sports a 2K projector for digital and 3-D films (a new 4K projector is on its way). Prices are reasonable, at $26 on weeknights and $35 on weekends after 5pm. The food and beverage menu is restaurant quality, but the serving sizes could be bigger.

BEST SIGHT AND SOUND

TITAN EXTREME CINEMA, READING BELMONT

Perth's new kid on the block, the Titan Extreme Cinema, is a clear winner as the single best cinema in Perth. Opened just months ago, the Titan features wide-body seats with plenty of leg room and perfect stadium seating viewing. Two dual-stacked 2K Barco projectors throw crisp and vibrant images to the whopping 185sqm screen, making it Perth's best cinema to see a 3-D film. The audio quality is even better, with eight-channel Dolby surround generating 50,000 watts of cinema-rumbling yet crystal-clear power. That's as much as your average rock concert. Titan's only real competition — the IMAX at Hoyts Carousel and Event's Vmax at Innaloo — have less audio punch and cost more ($21 and $23 respectively). At just an extra $2.50 above Reading’s usual ticket $17 prices, it's the best $2.50 you will spend.

BEST OUTDOOR CINEMA

TIE: MOONLIGHT CINEMA & THE SOMERVILLE AUDITORIUM

As far as outdoor movie experiences go, you can't beat the Somerville Auditorium at UWA, where towering Norfolk pines form a natural amphitheatre with the bonus of that natural pine-fresh smell. Part of the annual Perth International Arts Festival, it screens the best foreign films from around the globe, and it's become an institution with Perth’s movie lovers over 50-plus years. The ticketing and seating rules are complex, but with rows of comfy deckchairs and gourmet food and drinks sold on site, it's a decadent cultural winner. Of the non-deckchair variety, Moonlight has the most picturesque (and central) location atop Kings Park, and its program of one cult classic a week among recent Hollywood hits is a clear crowd pleaser. Just don't forget the Aeroguard, mate.

BEST INDIE CINEMA

LUNA LEEDERVILLE

Perth has few truly independent cinemas which screen indie films as most mix in Hollywood fare to be viable, making this the hardest category to pick. The Windsor in Nedlands has the most spine-numbing seats in Perth. The Cygnet in Como has only two films to choose from but is expanding. The Paradiso in Northbridge is lovely but the parking is a nightmare. And the Luna on SX in Fremantle is a small clone of its big brother in Leederville. So, despite a struggling air-conditioner and a few crackly speakers, the funky Luna Leederville cannot be denied. Managers Ingrid Van Den Berghe and Tony Bective do a bang-up job programming the best local and international indie hits, festival winners, documentaries, filmmaker Q&A nights, themed festivals, double features and even live opera in HD. It's Elysian fields for Perth's buffs.

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY

EVENT CINEMAS

CineBuzz Club

Cinemas dangle plenty of carrots to entice customers. But of all the movie deals out there, Event's CineBuzz Club delivers the best value for money, especially for frequent movie-flyers. It's one of the few movie clubs that costs nothing to join (just sign up on the web), and it gives members access to a weekly $9 movie ticket to a movie chosen by Event. Members can also take a friend for an extra $5, and when you’ve seen 10 movies, you get one free, plus many more exclusive discounts and offers. But if you simply want the cheapest tickets in town, the indie cinemas have you covered. It's just $8 before 6pm or $10 after 6pm on Tuesdays at Windsor Cinema in Nedlands and Cinema Paradiso in Northbridge or Wednesdays at Luna Leederville and Luna on SX.