Bad Santa - Director: Terry Zwigoff (2003)

Oh oh, this Santa is BAD! At a time of the year when we have lots of schmucky Santa baby sugar-sweet mush on the telebox, it's refreshing to come across a Christmas movie which is strictly for adults only. My Dad turned off within 10 minutes. And he hadn't even seen Santa engaging in the holiest of the holies kind of activity in a mall changing room.

Santa is Willie Stokes, aka Billy Bob Thornton, a drunk loner who works the holiday season with his dwarf 'friend' Marcus (Tony Cox); then robbing the store that they do their Santa duties in. Willie is not an enthusiastic Santa, swearing regularly at the kids who come to visit him and in one memorable moment, pisses his pants. However, Willie starts to show some kindness when he meets a strange, tubby child, 'the kid', Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly), who is being bullied.

Billy Bob Thornton really excels himself in this lead role; something makes me believe that he didn't have to try too hard to play the baddest of Santas. It's outrageous fun and as long as swearing, 'f**k me Santa!' liaisons in a jacuzzi and generally offensive anti-Christmas behaviour doesn't offend you, you'll love this. Or just watch Miracle on 34th Street.