Britney in Vegas; weekend box office

Britney Spears appears to be settling in on the strip after raising the curtain over the weekend on her Las Vegas show. The 32-year-old "Toxic" star earned favorable reviews after her opening performance on Friday, (Dec. 27). Spears is expected to perform around 50 shows a year during her two year run at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," the special-effects-laden tale that pits dwarfs against a dragon, blasted to its third consecutive box office title, collecting nearly 30 million dollars (USD) over the holiday weekend.

Disney's animated film "Frozen" was second with ticket sales of 28.8 million in its third week, ahead of Will Ferrell's quirky comedy "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" that collected just over 20 million at domestic theaters.

"American Hustle," which reunited director David O. Russell with his "Silver Linings Playbook" stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, rounded out the top four.

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