FREEZE FRAMES

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS - And that's embarassing for a smart but bumbling scientist, especially when the miniature youngsters get lost in their own backyard, a teeming jungle to their tiny eyes. This rehash of ``The Incredible Shrinking Man'' has a few clever touches, as when one size-reduced kid finds himself floating in Dad's Cheerios at breakfast time, definitely a hazardous place to be. But much of the action is strictly by the numbers, despite an energetic performance from Rick Moranis as the scientist who sets the plot in motion. Playing with the movie is ``Tummy Trouble,'' a new Roger Rabbit cartoon that's not nearly as clever as the animation in ``Who Framed Roger Rabbit,'' where Roger got his start. (Rated PG) MACHINE DREAMS - An essay on humanity's odd relationship with machines, and the roots of this relationship in our deepest hopes and fears, which are mirrored in the technology we create for endeavors as different as space exploration and military destruction. Peter Krieg wrote and directed the West German production, which would be more effective if it focused more directly on ideas and spent less time toying with its own dreamlike images. (Not rated)

PARENTHOOD - It's alternately chaotic, frustrating, and rewarding in Ron Howard's comedy, which focuses on several frazzled moms and dads, and on the children struggling to grow up around them. There are good jokes and funny observations about middle-class life. The picture is too long and predictable, though, and includes some sex-talk that doesn't mesh with the story's overall tone. (Rated PG-13)