10 of our most-loved and least favorite movie Santas

This dark comedy follows a miserable conman who learns the true meaning of Christmas when he befriends a troubled kid while trying to rob department stores on Christmas Eve.

It's over-the-top, crass, and totally not suitable for the whole family – and that's exactly why viewers love it and Thornton's chain-smoking, foul-mouthed, and all-around inappropriate mall Santa.

In this comedy, there are two Claus brothers: Nicholas, played by Giamatti, and his bitter, younger brother Fred, played by Vaughn.

When Fred lands in big trouble with the law and needs bailing out, he is forced to move to the North Pole to help his saintly sibling make toys and prepare for Christmas to repay his debt.

While Giamatti and Vaughn play well against each other, the role of Santa felt miscast as the "American Splendor" star was perhaps a bit too young to don the red suit.

"The Stranger Things" star is one of the most recent additions to the list of on-screen Santas thanks to his role in the recently released horror-comedy "Violent Night."

Although decidedly more hot-headed than the other contenders on this list, those who have watched the film know that Harbour's Santa is imbued with warmth and compassion for those who play by the rules.

While Russell might top the list for the Santa with the most style, his portrayal in this Netflix flick (and its 2020 sequel) doesn't leave us with the same warm and fuzzy feeling inside as other iterations of Saint Nick.

Starring Rafe Spall, Warwick Davies, and "Heartstopper" breakout star Kit Conner, this family-friendly comedy saw Santa crash his sleigh in and seek the help of a father and son to round up his reindeer and return home.

There's no arguing that the look of "The Polar Express" (2004) has aged in the 18 years since its release, but one aspect of the film that remains timeless is the choice to cast Hanks as Saint Nick, as the actor is just as beloved today as he was back then.

If anything, at 66, he's now approaching the age at which he can convincingly play Santa in a live-action movie.

Asner first put on the red suit in "The Christmas Star," (1986) although we're not sure if that counts, as he was actually playing a criminal who escapes from prison in time for the holidays by wearing a Santa costume.

He is also credited as playing Papa Noel in the Lifetime movie, "Christmas on the Bayou" (2013).

However, his best turn as Father Christmas is in the much-loved Christmas classic, "Elf" (2003), which also starred Will Ferrell and James Caan. His version of Santa, while not on screen for long, is certainly beloved by audiences.

Gwenn took home the Academy Award for his performance in the film, as well as the corresponding Golden Globe Award, which should give an indication of how perfectly he portrayed Santa — or as he goes by in the movie, Kris Kringle — in this story about a Macy's department store Santa Claus who claims to be the real thing.

There is an entire generation who grew up watching this holiday classic and its sequels year after year, and they can't imagine anyone else but the "Home Improvement" star as Santa.

The trilogy tells the story of a toy salesman and divorced dad who slowly finds himself transforming into Saint Nick over the course of a year after the real deal accidentally falls off his roof.

It's rare for a remake to surpass its precursor, but it seems that movie magic happened when "Miracle on 34th Street" was updated in the mid-90s with Attenborough in the lead role of Kris Kringle.

The story remained the same with a young girl (Mara Wilson) and a lawyer (Dylan McDermott) working together to prove that a man claiming to be Santa Claus is the real deal in the face of naysayers.

However, Attenborough, with his twinkle in his eye and rosy cheeks, was able to bring a new level of realism to the role which makes him the most authentic and best-loved Santa actor in cinema to date.