FREEZE FRAMES

A weekly update of film releases

FLIRTING - First love is the subject of this amusing Australian romance about an adolescent boy's unexpected relationship with an African-Australian girl whom he meets during a school excursion. The splendidly acted story is smartly written and directed by John Duigan, whose partly autobiographical trilogy on youthful life began with "The Year My Voice Broke" in 1987. (Not rated) JOHNNY SUEDE - Emboldened by a new pair of shoes, a young man determines to bring more hipness and adventure into his life. The movie shows its own streak of adventurousness by focusing on a hero so astoundingly laid-back that Ricky Nelson is his musical hero. But the story is too self-conscious about its offbeat qualities, becoming so cool that it practically freezes on the screen. Written and directed by Tom DiCillo, best known as Jim Jarmusch's cinematographer. (Rated R)