FREEZE FRAMES

July 6, 1990

A weekly update of film releases CADILLAC MAN - Two comedies in one. The first half is sly and amusing as we meet the hero, a car salesman who'll do anything to move the merchandise. The second half turns raucous and overcooked, as a spurned husband shows up with a gun and takes hostages in the showroom. Robin Williams is almost as controlled as he was in ``Dead Poets Society,'' but no more interesting; Tim Robbins does his best with a poorly written role. Roger Donaldson, who made ``Smash Palace'' and ``No Way Out,'' was the director. (Rated R) A FLAME IN MY HEART - Ordinary man becomes obsessed with sensual woman. Swiss filmmaker Alain Tanner directed this monomaniacal drama, which ranks with his least impressive work. (Not rated)

TOTAL RECALL - Memory and identity are the themes of this science-fiction epic. The hero can't afford a vacation on Mars, so he pays to have the memory of a Martian trip planted in his mind, only to discover that he's a secret agent whose real memories of interplanetary intrigue have been temporarily erased. The plot, based on a Phillip K. Dick story, is ingenious; and Arnold Schwarzenegger brings an effective blend of machismo and innocence to his role. Too bad director Paul Verhoeven lets brainless violence and tricky special effects swamp the cleverness of the tale itself. (Rated R)