The Top 10 Best Movie Santas
Not Everyone Looks Good in Red, but these Movie Santas Pull it Off.
Last week I sorted through a ton of films to bring you the Top 10 Christmas Movies. In doing so I discovered that there are tons of movie Santas out there, which begged the question, “Who are the best big screen Saint Nick’s?” Well, lucky for you I’ve got a ton of time to kill because I decided to answer that very question in this week’s Stars & Popcorn’s top 10 list. This list might be a little different from other’s you’ve seen around the old interwebs, because I decided to also include characters playing Santa Claus. In other words, not every character on this list is Kris Kringle, but all of them play a movie Santa in one way or another. Whether they’re the real deal, a mall Santa or a con man in a red suit, these are the best movie Santas I’ve seen on the big screen. Here’s hoping these actors help you have a holly jolly Christmas!
10. Tom Hanks– The Polar Express
Uncanny valley or not, if there’s one guy I totally believe could be Santa Claus in real life, it’s Tom Hanks. Hanks plays multiple characters in Robert Zemeckis’ retelling of the childhood classic. For the sake of this lists of movie Santas, we’re just going to focus on his time as the big guy. There’s a childlike innocence and warmth to Hanks that helped him earn the title of America’s and that pretty much makes him perfect to play the jolly old fat man. Unfortunately, Zemeckis film features some pretty spectacular effects that are so good for their time that there’s something creepy about every character in the film. Despite the fact that his eyes are lifeless, Hanks still manages to bring a twinkle to them.
9. Paul Giamatti– Fred Claus
Academy Award-nominee Paul Giamatti joins our list of movie Santas as Nick Claus in Fred Claus. Given the title, it’s safe to assume that Nick isn’t the focus of the film, but that doesn’t stop Giamatti from being one of the most memorable movie Santas I’ve seen in years. The film focuses on the relationship between Saint Nick and his estranged, grumpy brother Fred who begrudgingly has to step up and help save Christmas from… Kevin Spacey? To be honest, Fred Claus isn’t one of the best holiday movies I’ve seen in my life. In fact, it’s pretty awful in general, but that doesn’t stop Giamatti from earning himself a solid spot on this top 10 list.
8. Alec Baldwin– Rise of the Guardians
Another animated entry earns a spot among the best movie Santas. While many people associate Santa with a jolly old man with a great white beard and a penchant for cookies, North is a character that looks more like a kindly member of the Bratva. Tatted up and more than ready for a fight, this version of Santa still manages to capture the characteristics we all love about the legendary character. Rise of the Guardians is far from a Christmas story though and instead tells the tale of mythical children’s characters doing battle with the Boogie Man in order to protect the children that love and believe in them. Among them, North is the most powerful and one hell of a heavy hitter, which makes sense considering how much kids love free stuff.
7. Kurt Russell– The Christmas Chronicles
Netflix has been breaking my heart recently with a lot of the cuts they’ve been making to their lineups, but I have to hand it to them when it comes to The Christmas Chronicles. I mean, who threw out Kurt Russell’s name when came to casting Santa Claus? Whoever it was, I want to give them a high five. There’s no reason this should work and yet I couldn’t get over how great he was in the role. I can just see him saying, “you remember what ol’ Kris Kringle always says at a time like that: “Have ya paid your dues, Kris?” “Yessir, the check is in the mail.” Sure, The Christmas Chronicles might not go down as one of the great Christmas movies of all time, but Russell brought a fresh take to the role that earned him a solid spot on this list.
6. Chris Sarandon– The Nightmare Before Christmas
By now a lot of fans of Stars & Popcorn are probably aware of my stance when it comes to The Nightmare Before Christmas. Despite the fact that it’s the very definition of cultural appropriation, it’s still one of the most delightful alternative Christmas movies out there. That’s why I couldn’t put together a list of the best movie Santas without giving a shout out to Jack Skellington. In case you didn’t notice, Jack is definitely not Santa Claus, and is the first of a few characters on this list that impersonate old Saint Nick. Jack ends up unleashing a total nightmare when he tries to take over as Santa and employees his loyal Halloween town subject as his “helpers.” The end result is a twisted take on Christmas and one of the most beloved films in Tim Burton’s repertoire.