The latest Sherlock Holmes flick easily beat out the latest Chipmunks movie for first place at the weekend box office - thank goodness. And don't worry that you didn't see "Mission: Impossible" at your local theater this weekend; it will begin playing here this week.

From The Associated Press:

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” $40 million ($14.7 million international). (Review by The News-Herald's Mark Meszoros)
2. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked,” $23.5 million ($14.5 million international). (Review by The AP's Jake Coyle)
3. “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol,” $13 million ($68.2 million international). (review coming early this week)
4. “New Year’s Eve,” $7.4 million. (Review by Coyle)
5. “The Sitter,” $4.4 million. (Review by The AP's David Germain)
6. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1,” $4.3 million. (Review by Meszoros)
7. “Young Adult,” $3.7 million. (Review by The AP's Christy Lemire)
8. “Hugo,” $3.63 million. (Review by Meszoros)
9. “Arthur Christmas,” $3.6 million ($9.7 million international). (Review by Germain)
10. “The Muppets,” $3.5 million ($600,000 international). (Review by Meszoros; Q&A with Kermit the Frog by The AP's Derrik J. Lang)

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl