Box: Ice Ice Baby

1. FROZEN - $19m
Seemingly doing the impossible and returning to the #1 spot almost a month after it first took it, Frozen has become the real story of the holiday season.  After this weekend, it'll be just below $300m.  Next weekend will be the last weekend it has before it faces a little competition in the form of The Nut Job, but I doubt that film will create much of a dent.  Frozen should finish just below $350m, which all things considered is pretty insane.

2. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES - $17m
Well, if the awful Texas Chainsaw 3D can get to $20m this time last year, I guess this can get at least close.  I think the marketing for this has been kind of sloppy, and I doubt the film will even get to 2.0 multiplier for its total gross.

3. THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG - $16m
I'd imagine the studio is probably happy with this film's performance.  It didn't drop off as much as expected from the first installment and will get to about $265m domestically.  More importantly, it might have created enough interest for the third installment to do $250m+.

4. AMERICAN HUSTLE - $12.5m
In addition to being on a roll with awards seasons, David O. Russell is doing quite well at the box office.  The Fighter did $90m+, Silver Linings Playbook ended with $130m+, and this will probably eclipse the latter when all is said and done.  A lot will depend on how fortuitous its award season is. 

5. ANCHORMAN 2 - $12m
It'll cross $100m before this weekend, and should end up just below $150m domestic.  A solid performance, but it was probably capable of more.  A release date three of four years prior would have helped.

6. WOLF OF WALL STREET - $10.5m
That number takes it just below $60m, but I doubt its awards run will be as good as Paramount hopes.  $85m looks about right.  The "C" cinemascore and the film's content probably did it in.

7. SAVING MR. BANKS - $9.5m
This also will be just below $60m after the weekend, as its holiday performance gave it some nice legs.  I don't know if it has enough to ride it all the way to the century mark, but I expect $90m is a safe bet.

8. SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY - $7m
I would have thought this was the more certain hit over Saving Mr. Banks, but it looks like the opposite now.  Mitty will probably gross just under $70m when finished its run, which wouldn't be so bad if the budget wasn't nearing $100m.

9. HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE - $6m
Like Frozen, the holiday season gave this the boost it needed and now it will certainly be the highest grossing film of the year.  A finish of about $420m looks right.  Let's celebrate this being the first female led film in 40 years to top the yearly box-office.  The power of J-Law, everybody!  The power of J-Law!

10. 47 RONIN / GRUDGE MATCH / WALKING WITH DINOSAURS - $4m
And here we have the holiday losers no one will remember in a few months.  Well, Universal will surely remember Ronin given the massive loss they are taking for greenlighting this shit with a $200m budget.  As for Grudge Match, maybe Sly should take this as his cue to give up?  Ronin and Dinosaurs will end up with about $40m at the domestic box-office, while Grudge will just pass $30m.  Yawn.