Variety reports the top movies, in terms of box office take, for the week of 14-20 December 2012. Surprising absolutely no one, the latest J.R.R. Tolkien novel-turned Peter Jackson epic film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened at the top of the charts, questing up $113.2 million (more money than all the other movies combined). Rise of the Guardians slipped from #2 to #3, bringing in $9.9 million, for a four-week total of $73.8 million. Skyfall fell from #1 to #4, spying up $9.7 million, for a six-week total of $275.1 million. Life of Pi held steady at #5, earning $8.2 million, for a four-week total of $72.4 million. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2 fell from #4 to #6, chewing up $7.3 million, for a five-week total of $279.0 million. Wreck-It Ralph held steady at #7, tearing down $4.4 million, for a seven-week total of $169.9 million. Red Dawn slipped from #8 to #9, shooting up $3.3 million, for a four-week total of $41.8 million.

Quasi-buddy comedy The Guilt Trip, which opened on the 19th, still managed to wind up at #12 on the charts. Argo held steady at #13, rescuing $1.8 million, for a ten-week total of $105.5 million. The animated re-release Monsters, Inc. 3D opened at #17, making another $1.5 million. The Collection fell from #14 to #18, killing $750 thousand, for a three-week total of $6.7 million.

Falling out of the top 25 this week were:
Cloud Atlas (last week’s #22) in its eighth week in release (box office total: $26.7 million)
Looper (last week’s #23) in its twelfth week in release (box office total: $66.4 million)