"Taken 2 ," starring Liam Neeson, was at the top of the U.S. box office for the second week in a row with $22.5 million in receipts.

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"Argo," the CIA thriller directed by and starring Ben Affleck, was a very close second with $20.12 million.

All studio estimates of gross U.S. receipts are via Box Office Mojo.

"Sinister" was third with $18.25 million; the animated "Hotel Transylvania" fourth with $17.3 million; "Here Comes the Boom" fifth with $12 million; "Pitch Perfect" sixth with $9.336 million; "Frankenweenie" seventh with $7.014,million; "Looper" eighth with $6.3 million; "Seven Psychopaths" ninth with $4.275 million.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" was 10th with $2.166 million.