I get there's probably nobody reading reviews for this set these days since it's only available on third party websites but in case anyone needs a fresh opinion...

I got 10182 Cafe Corner and 10211 Grand Emporium when they came out when I was a kid. I remember seeing this on the LEGO website when it was first released and I was studying film in college and really wanted it but never had the money. Now that I'm an adult, I thought I'd give my inner kid some wish fulfilment with my disposable income. I always wanted a movie theater LEGO set since I've been a huge movie fan forever and even bought the 1349 Steven Spielberg Moviemaker Set on eBay years ago. I have to say I was not disappointed and it was a great way to pass the time for a few days during lockdown back in March.

In regard to price this was the first LEGO set I'd bought in almost a decade so I didn't exactly have a point of reference before I overpaid for it. My only recommendation for that would be to find it as cheap as you can.

The 40s Buick has some nice detail but it's a little awkward placing any more than 1 minifig in the back-seat. The side view mirrors are particularly cool and I enjoy the small gold grate that serves as the dashboard console.

The sidewalk is completely empty compared to other modular sets but it allows a lot of creative movement for the stanchions and spotlights. The stars on the sidewalk are a lovely detail. Was a little disappointed by the movie posters being stickers but I was surprised at how easy it was to apply them without any mishaps. I love the tiny slot at the box office for tickets (grey 1x1 tiles instead of the printed ticket tiles for some reason) and money to slide through. I didn't notice it until after I had completed building and was delighted by the surprise. It's easier to push stuff in from the sidewalk than it is to push things out from the box office. The front doors were a fun build and look really elegant. The interior I'll say is a little empty. The ticket counter has a neat little plant and the concession stand is extremely detailed. The gold slope/wedges that are part of the concessions are impossible to take out without taking apart the back counter so you're better off using the wedges left over from extra pieces when giving minifigs concessions from the counter. The plant by the stairs is pretty flimsy but since it's in a corner it's low impact. The space between the ticket counter and stairs is pretty empty; some people say a seating area would be nice but I'd be content with just a podium for ticket taking even.

The second floor with the actual theater is pretty cool. It's period appropriate for 20s/early 30s era silent film theaters with the projector and seating in one big room. The projectionist seat is a nice touch. I think that if the hole for the stairs was a bit narrower there could be a few more seats but it adds to the vintage/restored cinema vibe for limited seating capacity. The fact that there're windows surrounding the seats and movie screen is pretty goofy but Modulars are supposed to be minifig scale so it would be hard to correct this without making it more cramped inside. The movie screen is sticker not printed. The skeleton leg railing on the exterior is great detail and the alternating slopes/brick pattern 1x2 bricks along the top of the second floor look great despite being a markedly different color from most of the exterior.

Not sure why there's roof access since there's not much to see up top but the slanted roof facade is a nice mini build and looks super cool when completed. The main tower on the corner has no back which looks strange from behind, though the same could be said about the slanted roof on either side.

The last part of the build is the sign and marquee (stickers again) which is another great mini build and a nice way to end things. It's very sturdy--much sturdier than the HOTEL sign from Cafe Corner--and the PALACE sign is double sided so that it reads correctly from both sides unlike the HOTEL sign. Gold details and studs for lights are really great visually.

The minifigs are nice (though a bit overdressed for the other Modular Buildings) and there's a lot for one set but there's only one theater attendant which seems like an oversight since there're tickets concessions and a projector to run. Also, there's not an obvious place for the stanchions and spotlights if you're not in "movie premiere" mode but putting them on the roof hides them well enough.

This uses some really great pieces and has a really nice level of detail overall. Because the entire building is dedicated to the movie theater there is some limited playability compared to something like 10243 Parisian Restaurant or 10260 Downtown Diner but I'm just so happy to have a LEGO cinema finally that I don't mind! I had a lot of fun building this even though I wasn't as wowed by some of building techniques compared to other Modular sets. It looks great next to Cafe Corner and especially Grand Emporium. I wasn't expecting it but this set really got me back into the Modular Building series that I loved so much as a kid. Great buy!

I received this set for Christmas nearly five years ago during the start of a three year long period where I stopped writing reviews on Brickset. Having a newfound appreciation for the modular line, especially after building 10255 Assembly Square, I felt that I should give my two cents on the Palace Cinema for completeness sake since this is the only modular I own which hasn't been reviewed yet.

The Palace Cinema is the 8th modular building succeeding 10224 Town Hall and preceding 10243 Parisian Restaurant. It was only my second modular after 10211 Grand Emporium so it was quite a welcome addition to my growing collection. The build is divided into 3 bags - Bag 1 deals with the main floor and car, Bag 2 involves the second floor, and the roof and sign are built in Bag 3. Having built this set so long ago I don't remember exactly how long it took but I think it was around 8-10 hours.

Six minifigures are included, including child star, photographer, chauffeur, employee, and male and female patrons. Some accessories include a camera, ticket stubs (which are just 1x1 tiles), and dollar bills. Also of interest is the 1930's style convertible, which makes Palace Cinema the second modular of three to include a vehicle, the others being 10197 Fire Brigade and this year's own 10260 Downtown Diner. The proportions of the convertible are somewhat distorted due to the (very) tall front and gives the illusion that the front windscreen is obscured. Nonetheless a neat little addition to the main modular.

On the sidewalk spanning both corners of the cinema is a walk of fame, featuring eight 2x2 tan tiles with a printed star-brick design used to represent some famous actor/actress. Aside from the white lampost used in many other modulars there are no other fixtures on the sidewalk. Two fences sit loosely leading up to the entrance, and two spotlights are included which also sit loose. The left side of the building features posters for three movies in screening, including "Brick Separator", "Mystery on the Monorail", and "Forever Sorting", all of which are humourous references to Lego in some way. The building's right side includes two ticket windows and has slots at the bottom where the tickets can slide through. The entrance doors are done ingeniously and are built using actual bricks, using 1x2x5 clear bricks for glass and gold 4L bars as the door handles. The first floor is the lobby and includes a couple of cash registers for buying tickets, and a concession stand with popcorn machine, drink dispenser, and candy dispenser. There are three containers on the counter which I'm not sure what they're used for. A large staircase at the back leads up to the second floor. The building sits on a red baseplate to represent the famous "red carpet" effect. Tiling is not used in the lobby.

The second floor is the theatre itself. There is a large movie screen decorated with a red curtain and gold crown. Six seats are provided and a projector sits on top of a platform which plays the movies. A chair is also on the platform where the operator sits. Another set of stairs leads up to the roof through an emergency exit which is a standard 1x4x6 door mounted on its side.

Despite being almost entirely plain except for the emergency exit, the roof is actually very well done. The roof slopes are built using individual 1x1 red and burgundy bricks to simulate tiles. Even though it sits on turnstile pieces to achieve the angled construction, the spire is solidly mounted. At the ends of the roof and both sides of the spire are sai's which serve as decoration, as well as a Chinese rice farmer's hat which sits above the "Palace" sign.

The "Palace" sign is probably the main highlight of the set for many. It is intricately built using assorted light blue and white plates, as well as white 1x2 bricks with pin hole. Unlike in 10182 Cafe Corner where the "E" and "L" in "Hotel" were reversed, the sign is two studs deep to accommodate correct lettering on both sides. A movie screening sign right above the entrance completes the signage assembly, showing the screening for "Three Clicks and a Snap" starring Minnie Figure (another humourous play on words). The assembly is mounted onto the building using clips and an extruded plate sits underneath to support the sign.

The early 20th century oriental theme is captured very well by the overall design. I'm assuming this would be something you'd find in Hollywood during this era. While the building techniques used for the main building are not spectacular, it cleans up well and gets the job done. As usual, the backsides are almost entirely plain since the expectation is that they'll be covered up by other modulars. However, there is some detailing using light grey brick bricks which represent exposed wall due to wear and tear.

From others' reviews, I can see this is the least popular modular building thus far. Why? Some think that the build is repetitve, uninspired, or unfinished. Others have attributed it to the lack of detail in the lobby and unrealistic setup of the theatre and projector. Personally, I do agree that the lobby feels a little quiet, but it's by no means an issue for me. Others believe the projector should be in its own room, but I think having it on a platform is acceptable due to space constraints. My only real gripe is the windows on the second floor. They should be covered since the theatre should be dark during screening. On the other hand, replacing the brown windows with solid bricks or panels would be off puttting. What could've been done was to replace all the clear panes with opaque panes to simulate curtains or blinds (in fact, take a look at the photography studio windows in Assembly Square). Also, an ongoing issue at the time was the lack of window panes for the curved windows. I don't think these exist yet, all I know is that for the modulars where these curved windows were used they didn't have any panes because the piece was never produced. I guess we'll wait and see.

In conclusion, I think Palace Cinema is worth having since movie theatres are pretty much non existent. The previous movie theatre came in 10184 Town Plan. At 2196 pieces and $200 CAD its price was pretty standard for a modular but still fairly decent. I'm sure by now this set has been MOC'ed quite extensively by others, but in its original form I think it's perfectly fine.

When i decided to back to great LEGO hobby, i was thinking a lot about what set i should buy at first. 10232 was my choice, and after 2 months a decided to write this review

Box/Instructions

The box is huge, and the build looks huge when we looking on the box. There is nothing unsusal comparing to the others LEGO boxes, scale and informations on the side, and functions on the back.

There are 3 instructions in form of small books. SIze remind small cataloques from 90's.

Parts

There is a lot of standard bricks and plates you can use to build houses, walls etc. 32x32 red baseplate, arches we can use to build castles, small windows, big glasses, door, wings in br. red and new dark red colour, accesories usefull in other themes like daggers, or harpoon guns.

Minifigures

5 quite normall minifigs and 1 child minifig, just simply townsmans with classic grin faces.

The build

The build is pretty fun and challenging because of similar colours! Thanks to LEGO tha they spared parts in numered bags. I builded it with my girlfriend (she is not afol!) and it take us 4 hours! And she really like it.

Thanks to that there are 3 instructions, 10232 is fun build is fun for three people, each can take instruction and bag with same number and have fun!

The build show us how can we alternatively use minifig accesories.

The completed model

The completed model is smaller that it looks on the box, but i really like it, very detailed. I dont like only the roof from barrels, but generally must have in your LEGOCITY, no matter You are kid, teenager or adult fan of LEGO.

Overall opinion

A lot of bricks for this price, very usefull bricks. Comparing to the other sets with similar parts quantity the is good value of money.

A favourite LEGO drama of mine is the reaction to a newly released Modular Building. "It looks nothing like the one near where I live!"... "It's too small!"... "It's too big!"... "Why do the minifigures still have strange smiley faces?"

Yes - the latter really has been quoted on occasion.

The irony this time round was that the drama could well be projected in a brand new LEGO cinema, which is possibly one of the most original and exclusive concepts to have left the Billund offices in many, many years. I should point out that I too was a little apprehensive after seeing the initial promotional images, but as is becoming ever more frequent, the artwork has been processed to such a degree that it doesn't accurately reflect the final look of the product.

What's more, despite the lovely box, I'm completely bowled over by how much better the product looks in the flesh.

Brick-Value for Money

Palace Cinema sits nicely alongside the Pet Shop at £119.99, but contains almost two-hundred more elements. This is great bang-for-buck when you also consider just how many more hard to find or exclusive elements are present in comparison to the Pet Shop, or the slightly more expensive Grand Emporium. With the Fire Brigade departing us around June time, the Palace Cinema may end up being one of, if not the best value Modular Building on the market at present.

Minifigures

In terms of exclusivity, there's not a lot happening in this territory with Palace Cinema. I'm not going to complain as Modular Buildings have rarely veered from this strategy, and is also helps to keep the product costing down too. Afterall, what 'new' or unique printed torsos could you honestly design that would be different enough from the current inventory?

The lady from the Pet Shop has obviously taken a trip here as she's present again as a casual viewer (or maybe the mother of the young actress?). I'm going to argue this was done purposefully by the designers in order to link the buildings thematically; there's no other reason she would be here. The projectionist also features a Spongebob torso, though I'm very glad to see the rare beige reporters hat and, of course, our rich chap with his nicely breasted and pocket-watched torso. He's handing out 100-notes like they're going out of fashion! Lucky for some...

In the final line-up, we do have of course the child actress, chauffeur in black suit and cap, projectionist/usher/general cinema worker (working on his own, too!), photographer/press reporter and finally, the male and female guests. It's definitely the best minifigure offering since the Green Grocer.

That car...

OK, is the vehicle really as bad as others have made out (bearing in mind that non-owners assessments are made from internet images)? Absolutely not. But again, my reaction to this small build is based upon my own nostalgia of ye olde LEGO, and also, it being a part of a Creator product. This warrants a different set of expectations than if it was, say, a City vehicle, in which playability would be the main focus and objective. The model in question is based on an old American Buick, and absolutely not a limousine as others have simply presumed. There is a lot of attention to detail that can't be made out in promotional images (as the black components blend in with any shadows), and this renders the car a nice static addition to the cinema with some creative building techniques. It is built from an interesting choice of bricks and has the fragility of the Fire Brigade's truck, but this doesn't bother me as the design is the primary goal, so it is merely meant to compliment the entire scene and is not the product's USP.

Could TLG have improved it in any way? There's a slight possibility, but this would only go against certain limiting factors that designers face in Creator, such as a target pricing, component selection and more. I personally don't have any problems with it, and believe the cinema would be much worser off without it in terms of the narrative and final look.

... and the rest of the build

I was able to view this product before its release, but I never expected the build to be as enjoyable as it was. The main factor in this is that it rarely felt repetitive, and this is a considerable advantage if you've owned Modular Buildings before, or are not sure which to purchase. As much as I admire the Fire Brigade for example, the walls at times seemed to over-shadow many of the excellent micro-builds, and in the end I was quite glad to finish it. With buildings like Pet Shop and this Palace Cinema, however, you are constantly introduced to different and engaging build techniques.

Another aspect of the build that I enjoyed was how much the use of colour contributes to the final look of the model. The clear distinctions between wall elements/supports and interior decoration made hunting a particular part easy enough and entertaining at the same time. I was thrilled when I got to the confectionary area on the Ground Floor as it makes use of that gorgeous blue dye, and it clearly marks an Art Deco sensibility.

The challenge element of this build was roughly on par with the Modular Buildings that have preceded it, with exception to the more fiddly and compact Pet Shop. If anything, I would go as far as to say that it was a touch easier, but it was no less enjoyable for it. The only stage at which I advise caution is the roofing, because the cylindrical elements come in both red and brown varieties, so it's easy to lose your concentration when studying the picture of it in the manual. Also, the spire requires some patience and a steady hand when fixing the upside-down slopes to the building.

"Going to the flicks"

Have you ever wonder where the phrase comes from? Technicalities aside, motion pictures were originally photographed with far less calibrated pieces of equipment than in later years. During a shoot, each exposure (the picture taken on film) would have a small difference in its brightness level than those which preceded or succeeded it, and this caused the 'flicker' effect that we commonly associate with old movies. Pretty interesting, no?

I bring this up as the Palace Cinema is clearly a hybrid of function and styles from different eras; the reason from a design sense being that it incorporates as many different things as we can associate with. This ethos is true of all the Modular Buildings so far - they are not technically accurate, but are cute in their cultural references

Palace Cinema does a marvellous job of this, because while not strict to a particular point in time, it culminates many different references to why cinemas are such magical and engaging places. The reader may decide for themselves whether this is a good or bad thing, but I believe the designers have made the right choice as it makes the product exciting. 'Legoland' is not bound to particular rules that we take for granted in real life, afterall...

The colour scheme, for example, is an immediate take on late ninety-twenties Art Deco styling (Quite appropriately for Creator, they also sourced the components from Ninjago and Friends!), featuring golds, browns and light blues for a uniform. Yet the in the screening room, the projectionist doesn't have his own room is a part of a very small audience, which is a contrast as this set-up precedes sound-films. Likewise, the 'Hollywood Stars' on the sidewalk are fashionable to the ninety-fifties and beyond.

There should be little disappointment that the Ground Floor 'lobby' is so vast when compared to the First Floor screening room, because as a product, it has to be sensible. Within the space limitations of the corner building, the designers have introduced a wide variety of recognisable features - seen in their prime or significance - and not sacrificed this for quantity.

A good example is of course the screening itself; it has only six seats. "If more space was made, why not have twelve seats?" The answer to this question is rhetorical - "If more space was made, why not have eighteen seats instead of twelve?"... "If more space was made..." and so it continues.

It doesn't make any difference how many seats there are, because the point is that this doesn't alter the feature being demonstrated. The minifigures are watching a movie, and they're doing it in a communal sensibility that has been lost in modern multiplexes.

Whichever way you view Palace Cinema however, it is a rich mix of styles and certainly open to modification. If we have learnt one thing from the Modular Buildings, however, it is that the interior always comes second to the architecture, since the latter will always be exposed.

Parts, Stickers and Compromises

There will always be a temptation to say "Should'a.... Could'a....", but there is honestly little room for improvement as a product. My only gripes are; Why didn't they include a classic red Coca-Cola style fridge in the lobby? Where is the toilet cubicle/powder room? And why didn't they include 2x1 plate elements that look like movie tickets? These are only nit-picking, but the latter seemed a little more obvious to me.

The immediate thing that hits you is just how many desirable elements there are in this product; including gold bricks and transparent studs. Wow. I've never owned a Lego model with so much gold in it, and placing this elements on the 'Palace' signage was an absolute thrill. They just look stunning.

With this particular design, we also see a number of more risky build techniques. The ground floor plant that sits in the corner (next to the staircase) is very unstable, because nothing is supporting it around the base. Also, the large 'corner' window panes on the First Floor are actually a micro build and slide between the two sides of the building in very clever fashion, but is also very loose even when a plate is applied above it. The spire is also quite unusual and is faltered with a bit of instability.

We then come to the most surprising inclusion... Stickers in a Creator product? It's not something we like to see as a typical advantage of creator is that fine detail may be accomplished through clever, intricate building techniques. There comes a point, however, at which components can only go so far in creating an effect without resorting to printed tiles. I say 'resort', but printed elements aren't exactly the saviour that many make them out to be - the colours have a far lower contrast, and they increase the price of a product. It's not so easy to just make a printed element.

We can be fortunate that, while plenty of stickers do exist here, their application isn't going to ruin anyone's life. For example, the posters on the ground level are the exact same dimensions as the window that they are applied to, meaning it is practically impossible to misplace the sticker (and make it wonky). And this is of course only if you want to apply the stickers, because quite frankly, the windows still look great without them. There are two of each movie poster, so you also have the option of placing them both on the back and front of the window pane. Alternatively (and the more sensible option), keep one set as a back-up and have the interior-side of the pane blank.

The large white element used for the cinema screen can be covered with an equally large sticker of our young actress in the frame, dancing away wildly in black and white. Again, this sticker is pretty much optional. As with the windows, some fans may have the creativity to design and apply their down details, though I would guess this may detract from the atmosphere that the cinema sutured is set in.

Arriving at the movie listings just below the 'Palace' signage, we then have six further stickers that complete the effect of small lettering. These are the only stickers that I would say are definitely required, but again, inventive fans may even alter this design so that they can place their own letter tiles onto a studded plate.

I shouldn't have to tell you that the 'Brick Star' emblems on the pavement are indeed printed elements, and repeat the same design on each present. These are unique to this product, so expect their value to skyrocket because they look absolutely startling. The quality is truly unsurpassed.

We also have an amazingly unique red baseplate, which nicely reflects the 'red carpet' nature of the building and also acts as a carpet inside the building's ground floor. I never thought I'd call a LEGO baseplate beautiful, but this is my first opportunity to do so... It's beautiful. We're not exactly treated to many colours normally, are we?

Finally, following on from the Horizon Express, we also receive yet another Brick Separator in green. A true LEGO fan can never have too many Brick Separators, as we are a strange breed. Particularly when you notice a trend for 'normal' orange separators and 'expert' green ones.

I'll grab my coat now...

Final Thoughts

Each Modular Building released has been more and more ambitious, be it for the better (Pet Shop) or worser (Town Hall, in my honest opinion). What makes the Palace Cinema special is that it packs in so many recognisable features into such a small space - one that is perhaps strained as a corner building. The overall presentation is completely faultless, and I believe the staff in Billund deserve so much credit for scaling down the small architectural features that make this building instantly recognisable. It is truly any LEGO fan's dream for either presentation or play.

That is the real accomplishment with this product; you'd look twice at it after walking by. It is also the inherent downfall, for fans maybe expecting more from the interior, that the lobby is larger than the screening room itself - a fault depending on how you view the model. However, if one breaks down the design as a series of separate narratives, then I can't help buy enjoy imagining what it would be like to be inside this building. Palace Cinema isn't perfect on blueprint, but the irony with LEGO is that these imperfections - judged from our own world - often produce the most interesting and manageable products you can buy, because the imagination is greatly enhanced.

On a scale of pure inventiveness, I rate Palace Cinema as being by far and away the best Modular Building so far. The only way it can be faulted is in how you yourself perceive a grand picture house.

Wanna go to the movies? I know a great little old theater...

Being a big fan of the Modular building series since the Greengrocer I was very anxious what the Palace would be like. I must say it is quite a beaty again!Nice job Astrid & Jordan.

The build from the floor up was a good 2 evenings work (including sorting out the parts, becease that's how I like to work it) which over all was great fun. Nothing to difficult or fancy. And actually there are a few design features that are worth looking at.

The baseplate

As mentioned in the video-preview from LEGO the baseplate is red which is new and gives the floor in the Palace a real "grand cinema" look. The printed "Walk of Fame" 2x2 tiles ad to that nicely! And I must ad LEGO was not scarce on those ;-) The minifigs enter through a very nicely brickbuilt door. I like that element because it gives this building extra grandeur (just like with the Town Hall). Inside we get the ticketcounter and the bar. Nicely done with a few furniture peaces and a few bottles. Just a little question of detail: why is the candy under the glass bell the same colour as the ones in the cubourd? Well, no real problem; I got spares, so took the liberty of putting some other candy in place! Nice 3 lights on the back wall, so nobody will be unnoticed at the premiere! Just 2 suggetions I permit myself; 1 Why not have one ticketcounter reversed to the inside instead of them both outwards? Would have been even more realistic and Created more playabilty inside. 2 In the corner or against the backwall under the lights I would have placed either a toilet (no one wants to have to pee during the movie now, does he/she?) or a wardrobe. Again; even more playabilty. In all a fine entrance to the theater and the looks, design and combination of colors of the facade look great.

1st floor

We take the staircase up to the 1 floor (nice curved turn btw) and enter the actual screening hall. It is big! That alows good acces which enhances playabilty. But personally I think 6 seats is a little to small a screen to get a businesscase going here!? Why not make the staircase two studs less wide and you got at least room for 2 extra seats here. And while were at it, we can a least add an extra row of seats at the back!? (we do not need that brown 1x2 brick there in the corner near the window!? Or is it an airco?). In all that would make 12 seats; now we're talking a Cinema! Compliments on the projector!! great job, very nice detail. But where are the speakers in the room? Or is the a silentmovie theater? And one other peace of critique; what's with all the windows? So much daylight in a cinema?, that needs curtains in front of the windows! Well an other opportunity for pimping ;-) What u notice with the first floor added is the 4 lights on the outsidewall; the realy set the palace out at night: Great promotion feature there.

The roof

We proceed up the stairs to the roof. Personally I think that does not really add very much. I know all the Modulars but Grand Emporium have some kind of roof access but in this case I wonder why? Like I mentioned the 1st floor could have gotten more seats so the staircase could have been skipped!? The design of the roof is Excellent though. Great looks and it really gives the Palace the classic look from the old days of cinema. The combination of colors and the spiked details are a great designjob. The golden sun at the top of the "Palace-sign" tops it of! That sign btw is Realy cool; great and ingenious use of bricks. Just a bit hard to build because the construction tends to curve to one side. Switching some gray plates helps bending it back.

So...

In all, although it has some features that can be upgraded I must admit this is a very nice addition to the street I'm building. Playability is not my style but for those who are in to that, there is space and stuff (the 2 big searchlights and the 2 bars for queing for instance) enough inside, so have yourself a nice night out at the theater... Of corse we get 6 minifigs and a very nice car with the palace so even more fun ;-)

By the way!

Just so you know; this cinema could actually be real! Look at this clip from "When Star Wars ruled the World" part 3, on Youtube at 12 seconds in to this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUa96zcwUU4 I swear you can see our Palace Cinema!? So for all of u LEGO and Star Wars fans here is your chance to have your own Premiere Revival!

To all the English language natives; I apologise for any form of linguistic mistake in this text!

Have fun on your buildingexperience...

Btw; On a scale from 1-10 I'd given this set a Solid 9. But here it is 5 stars ;-)