A movie buff’s dream, Limelight Cinemas in the Tuggeranong Hyperdome boasts all the best blockbusters as well as special opening gala nights, events and screenings.

For Limelight Rewards members the perks are endless, but for a first-time Limelight guest, like myself, it doesn’t take long until you are a fully converted Limelight fan. And with the cheapest tickets in town there’s really no excuse.

Firstly, shopping and movies – two of my favourite things combine! After some retail therapy, give your feet a long awaited rest and drop into the cinema conveniently accessed through the Hyperdome food court. Here you can peruse from an extensive list of movies across a variety of genres – whatever you’re in to, whether that be action, comedy, romantic or animations, rest assured there is a movie here for you at any given time.

Secondly, candy buffet. Need I say more? An entire built-in wall of candy. Yes, I kid you not. Just at the sight of the colourful array of every lolly imaginable you are whisked away back to your childhood and no matter what age you are, you’ll find yourself getting a bit too excited and irrepressibly treating yourself. This is a much-loved feature among the young and the young at heart.

While you wait for your screening to start there is also a buzzing games arcade to keep you well entertained while you pass some time. But we warned, it’s very easy to lose yourself here to your inner child, so keep an eye on the time and make sure you don’t miss the movie!

Then there are the eight cinema rooms, two of which are the XD experience cinemas with cinema 4 boasting the largest screen in Canberra. If you’re after an unforgettable movie experience and to fully immerse yourself in the storyline and state-of-the-art technology, then you need to sit in on one of the XD rooms – extreme definition, crystal clear floor-to-ceiling wall-to-wall screens, super bright images from 4K projection, a custom sound solution delivering 8000 watts of 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound, and new comfy new leather seats.

As I settled into my plush seat inside an XD room with my popcorn and drink combo to my right and a fountain of lollies to my left (no regrets), I was amazed my the quality of visual, sound and atmosphere – all my senses were ignited and for just under two hours I was lost within the film.

When the movie concluded and the lights came on I couldn’t help but miss the feeling of being completely relaxed and plucked away from reality.

Just in time for the school holidays, drop into Limelight Cinemas next time you make the classic family pilgrimage to the cinemas and you’ll find yourself secretly having a more enjoyable time than your kids. Any excuse right?