'Argo' is No. 1 in movies on demand; 'Skyfall' drops to No. 2; 'Flight' is No. 3

"Argo" debuted at No. 1 in movies on demand from Feb. 18 to Feb. 24, 2013, according to Rentrak. The movie had the added benefit of being released on demand five days before the 85th Annual Academy Awards ceremony, where "Argo" won three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing. Based on true events, “Argo” chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis in 1979 — the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA “exfiltration” specialist named Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck, who also directed and produced "Argo") comes up with a risky plan to get the Americans safely out of the country. "Argo" was big hit with critics and movie audiences who saw the film in theaters.

"Argo" international featurette"Argo" international featurette

"Skyfall" fell from No. 1 to No. 2. Daniel Craig is back as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in "Skyfall," the 23rd adventure in the longest-running film franchise of all time. In "Skyfall" (which has been nominated for five Oscars), Bond’s loyalty to M (played by Judi Dench) is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat from a villain named Silva (played by Javier Bardem), no matter how personal the cost. "Skyfall," which got rave reviews from critics and was a global smash, grossed more than $1 billion worldwide and is now the most commercially successful James Bond film so far. The movie won Oscars for Best Original Song ("Skyfall") and Best Sound Editing.

"Flight" dropped from No. 2 to No. 3. In this Oscar-nominated role, Denzel Washington plays William "Whip" Whitaker, an alcoholic pilot of commercial planes, who pulls off a daring flight maneuver that saves many lives when his plane crashes due to an equipment malfunction. The problem is that he was drunk and high on cocaine while flying, and now he's under investigation. "Flight" got mostly positive reviews from critics and was a hit with audiences who saw the movie in theaters.

"Sinister" debuted at No. 4. In "Sinister," Ethan Hawke plays a true crime novelist who discovers a box of mysterious, disturbing home movies that plunge his family into a nightmarish experience of supernatural horror. It's not long before he starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together about a horrific crime that occurred in the house where he and his family has relocated. "Sinister" got mixed reviews and did mediocre business at the box office.

"Here Comes the Boom" descended from No. 3 to No. 5. In this comedy, former collegiate wrestler Scott Voss (Kevin James) is a 42-year-old apathetic biology teacher in a failing high school. When cutbacks threaten to cancel the music program and lay off its teacher (played by Henry Winkler,) Scott begins to raise money by moonlighting as a mixed martial arts fighter. Everyone thinks Scott is crazy — most of all the school nurse, Bella (played by Salma Hayek) — but in his quest, Scott gains something he never expected as he becomes a sensation that rallies the entire school. Most critics slammed "Here Comes the Boom," which did mediocre business at the box office.

Here are the Top 5 movies on demand for Feb. 18 to Feb. 24, 2013:

1. Argo (debut)

2. Skyfall (No. 1 in the previous week)

3. Flight (No. 2 in the previous week)

4. Sinister (debut)

5. Here Comes the Boom (No. 3 in the previous week)