FREEZE FRAMES

* JASON'S LYRIC - A young African-American man tries to nourish his love for a new girlfriend while struggling with family problems, including the memory of his father's death and his brother's ongoing difficulties with the law. Directed by newcomer Doug McHenry from a screenplay by Bobby Smith Jr., this slickly produced melodrama tries to deal honestly with the tribulations of inner-city households. Sadly, it falls prey to a multitude of cliches, and also to a sexism that's indicated in the film's title, which suggests that the heroine named Lyric is a possession of the hero named Jason. (Rated R)

* STARGATE - An archaeologist and an Army officer become unlikely partners in a voyage through a mysterious passageway to a world ruled by a nasty tyrant. The budget is hefty, the cast is interesting, and the special effects won't quit. But the filmmakers never accomplish the daunting task they've set for themselves: to imitate ``Star Wars'' science fiction and ``Indiana Jones'' adventure-fantasy as slavishly as possible, stealing ideas from both of these sources but never settling entirely into either groove. Roland Emmerich directed, from a screenplay he wrote with Dean Devlin. (Rated PG-13) * DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB - Stanley Kubrick has restored his 1964 classic to its original luster by rephotographing every frame, renewing the rich black-and-white tones that perfectly suit the sardonic mood of his fiercely antiwar message. This is still the only comedy that ends with the destruction of the world, and its commentary on geopolitical insanity remains sharply relevant in the wake of the cold war. The late Peter Sellers heads the cast in one of his most inspired performances, playing a British Army officer and the president of the United States as well as the astonishing title character, a domesticated Nazi who finds Doomsday a delightful prospect. (Not rated)