'Kiki's Delivery Service' kicks off Ithakid Film Fest

Cornell Cinema's Ithakid Film Festival kicks off with "Kiki's Delivery Service," an animated Japanese hit featuring the voices of American actors Phil Hartman, Janeane Garofolo and Debbie Reynolds.

Cornell Cinema and the Ithaca Youth Bureau once again will present a selection of the best children's films from around the world as part of the Ithakid Film Fest.

All shows are Saturday afternoons at 2 p.m. in Willard Straight Theatre, unless otherwise noted. Admission is $2 for adults and $1.50 for children 12 and under.

The series begins Saturday, Nov. 7, in Uris Auditorium with a U.S. release from acclaimed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. Featuring the comedic talent of the late Phil Hartman and the buoyant Kirsten Dunst, "Kiki's Delivery Service" is the story of a 13-year-old witch-in-training who is brought to life in a mythical, polyglot Europe of the 1950s where WWII never happened. "'Kiki' is remarkable in its conception as well as its visuals," said Variety. Cosponsored with the Cornell Japanese Animation Society, it is recommended for ages 7 and up.

The film also is being shown Sunday, Nov. 8, at 4:30 p.m. in Willard Straight Theatre; admission is $3.50.

TV star John Goodman plays the bad guy in "The Borrowers," a recent release from British director Peter Hewitt. As the evil Ocious P. Potter, Goodman has to battle the Borrowers, the teensy, weensy people responsible for "borrowing" small household objects that aren't nailed down. "The Borrowers" will be shown Nov. 14; recommended for ages 7 and up.

Adults and children will enjoy the beautifully detailed portrait of childhood created in Japanese director Yoichi Higashi's "Village of Dreams," playing Nov. 21. The time is 1948, when identical twin brothers Yukihiko and Seizo are in the third grade. The two grapple with catfish in the river, chase birds in the woods and cause general mischief in the village and school. Subtitles will be read out loud. It is recommended for ages 7 and up.

On Dec. 5, Cornell Cinema will present a special version of "Alice in Wonderland," created by master puppeteer Lou Bunin. Drawing on the quintessential modern fairy tale, this 1948 adaptation -- painstakingly restored by the Museum of Modern Art -- is one of the most faithful to the Lewis Carroll classic. Thanks to Bunin's skillful technique, the extraordinary polyurethane latex puppets -- 128 of them -- "seem almost as flexible as an animated cartoon, and [the] trick photography is fully up to Alice's magical feats," said Time magazine. It's recommended for ages 6 and up.

Another adaptation of a children's classic, "The Wind in the Willows," concludes the series Dec. 12. An enchanting book becomes a beautiful, witty film starring Mole, Rat, Badger and the eccentric daredevil Toad of Toad Hall. With wry performances by a gaggle of top-flight British actors, including John Cleese and Stephen Fry, as well as exquisite costuming that brings the beloved animal characters to life, "'The Wind in the Willows' is an unequivocal delight," said The New York Times. Recommended for ages 6 and up, the film also is showing Sunday, Dec. 13, at 4:30 p.m. in Willard Straight Theatre; admission is $3.50.