CineCrossroads: “Dracula: A Love Tale,” “Roman Holiday,” and “How to Train Your Dragon”
Weekends are made for cinematic discoveries. In this edition of CineCrossroads — Luc Besson’s return with a tragic tale of love, timeless romance on the streets of Rome, and a heartfelt story about friendship between a boy and a dragon. Kazinform News Agency’s correspondent wishes you an inspiring watch.
Movie of the Week — Dracula: A Love Tale (2025)
Late 15th century. Eastern Europe. Prince Vlad (Caleb Landry Jones) lives only for his love, Elizabeth. When the Ottoman army invades his land, he goes to war, praying only for God to protect his wife. But upon learning of her death, Vlad curses the heavens and condemns himself to eternal existence.
Four centuries later, a young Parisian lawyer arrives at an old castle to settle an inheritance case and becomes part of a strange story. In the silence of the ancient halls, a legend awakens — about love that survived death and a man who lost his faith but not his ability to feel.
Vampires were among the first supernatural beings in film, symbols of mystery, loneliness, and temptation. Luc Besson brings them back to the screen not as monsters but as suffering and loving souls. Dracula: A Love Tale is not a horror film or a thriller. It is an elegant tragedy about immortality and lost belief.
Unlike modern vampire movies, Dracula: A Love Tale returns to true romanticism, showing that eternal life can be more a burden than a blessing.
Classic Pick — Roman Holiday (1953)
William Wyler’s Roman Holiday is one of the most tender stories about freedom. Princess Ann arrives in Rome on an official visit, her schedule tightly controlled. One night, she escapes from the palace to experience the city where people laugh, kiss, and sing.
On one of Rome’s streets, she meets American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck). At first, he sees a sensational story, but soon he sees a woman worth forgetting ambition for.
The role of Ann was Audrey Hepburn’s first major performance and brought her an Oscar. Every scene feels like a postcard from another time: a Vespa ride through sunlit streets, laughter echoing in ancient squares, and the gentle rhythm of Roman life all around.
Roman Holiday is a film about a brief miracle that stays in your heart forever — one day that gives meaning to a lifetime.
Family Choice — How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon has become a modern classic. Viking Hiccup lives in a world where dragons are enemies. He is an outsider — too frail, too uncertain, too different from the others in Berk. To his father, the village chief, he is a disappointment; to his peers — a target for jokes.
One day, Hiccup meets a wounded dragon named Toothless, a creature he was supposed to kill. That meeting changes everything. Fear turns into curiosity, and hostility becomes trust. Their friendship grows strong enough to destroy centuries of prejudice.
With every scene, the viewer feels the magic of flight, the wind, and the freedom the heroes share. John Powell’s Oscar-nominated music transforms the story into a true hymn to courage and kindness.
How to Train Your Dragon is one of those rare animated films that can move adults even more deeply than children. Toothless remains one of the most charming creatures in modern animation, combining the grace of a cat, the loyalty of a dog, and the power of lightning.
Fifteen years later, the story of Hiccup and Toothless still inspires. There are three films, five TV seasons, and a live-action remake, but the first movie remains the heart of it all.
Earlier, CineCrossroads, in its special Republic Day edition, introduced readers to the classic of Kazakh cinema “Alpamys Mektepke Barady.”
