Vanishing on 7th Street

Director Brad Anderson's spooky thriller opens with an electrical blackout in Detroit. After generator power returns to isolated areas, it quickly becomes apparent that almost everyone has disappeared—only their clothes are left behind, scattered on the ground. Among those who somehow escaped the mysterious force that's overtaken the city—where howling shadows loom everywhere—are Paul (John Leguizamo), a movie projectionist; Rosemary (Thandie Newton), a physical therapist; Luke (Hayden Christensen), a television reporter who managed to sleep through the event; and James (Jacob Latimore), a wary 12-year-old. The quartet converge in a tavern, and while no one has any clue what's going on, Luke notices that the days have been growing shorter and that light keeps the spectral forms at bay. Eventually an escape plan takes shape when Luke comes across a truck with working headlights—although things don't go quite as planned. While some viewers might not like the open-ended conclusion, others will find it rather lovely. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)