The Regal Majestic Stadium 20 & IMAX is definitely the largest multiplex accessible by shuttle service. In fact, it’s probably one of the largest in the whole metropolitan Washington area. But what does size really lend to a movie theater?

The obvious answer is an improved selection of movies. Indeed, the Majestic 20 does offer an impressive assortment of first-run and slightly older movies. If there’s ever a movie you wanted to see but didn’t manage to catch in its opening weeks, there’s a good chance you’ll find it still playing here.

Yet the massive number of screens doesn’t really expand the type of films shown at the Majestic 20. Most of the screenings here are of Hollywood movies or smash-hit indie films (e.g. The King’s Speech). Unlike Georgetown 14, there’s not much variety to the marquee.

Admittedly, the Majestic 20 is within spitting distance of the strictly arthouse AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, but it’s still a little disheartening to see The Hunger Games take up a quarter of the screens while something like The Raid: Redemption is not even playing in the immediate region.

The screens themselves are nothing spectacular. The Majestic 20 hasn’t fully switched over to all digital projectors, so some of the smaller auditoriums are still using adequately handled celluloid. Quality is about average for a mass market theater, though the digital IMAX installation is quite nice and big (if far too loud).

Concessions, too, are average – the popcorn’s probably a bit stale, ridiculously priced and ridiculously sized. The Majestic 20 does have the benefit of being in downtown Silver Spring, so dinner options are plentiful, especially if you like ethnic cuisine.

At end of it, I suppose there’s not much to be said about the Majestic 20. The theater’s only noteworthy for its size and its IMAX screen, but it doesn’t really put the former to good use. What’s the bloody point when you can catch the same movie much closer to the campus?

chzhang@umdbk.com

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Tickets: Matinee – $10.00, Regular – $11.50, IMAX – $18.00, 3D presentations incur a $4.50 surcharge

Popcorn: $6.00, $7.00, $8.00

Fountain drinks: $4.75, $5.25, $5.75

Transportation: Paid parking available. Accessible by Shuttle-UM and within walking distance of the Silver Spring Metro station.