The makers of "Ninja Assassin" seemed to have spent most of their budget on unrealistic gory special effects rather than paying a decent writer. Gargoyle reporter Jenny Cooke recently saw this movie and was not impressed. Even with an incredibly successful Asian pop star in the title role, she would advise you to save your money and stay home. Find out why inside.

Several Gargoyle staff members are participating in Student Productions '09, Uni's annual showcase of student plays. Throughout this week they will take us behind the scenes of one of Uni's favorite entertainment traditions. In this first installment of The StudProd Diaries 2009, Diana Liu sings the praises of the much-anticipated event, which runs Friday and Saturday in the North Attic.

Sound like a fantasy? It's not. In places like San Francisco and New York, events known as Really Really Free Markets take place on a regular basis. At these gatherings, people offer goods and services to any takers for free. Last month, a Really Really Free Market came to C-U, and Elizabeth Allen and Stephanie Overmier were on hand to document it.

Several Uni student activists were among the 75 local citizens who came out to march in support of justice for the poor. This year's Unity March landed on a cloudy Saturday morning, but the energy of the participants was unaffected. Check out Nancy Tang's photos and sounds from the march in this audio slideshow.

It's Thanksgiving! Who doesn't love a holiday entirely devoted to eating delicious food — er, we mean, "being thankful"? Even if you don't celebrate, who couldn't use the extra three days off? Naturally, senior editors Laura Dripps and Maritza Mestre give the autumn holiday a big thumbs up. So what else is on their list?

On Saturday and Sunday, while most Uni students were finishing their homework and getting ready the three-day fall break, freshmen George Ruan and Max Sigalov were locked in fierce competition. They were in Oak Brook, a suburb of Chicago, playing in the 2009 National Youth Action Chess Tournament. How did they fare? Check inside to find out.

While you're knocking out that endless list of class requirements that becomes your ticket to graduation, take time to reflect on the little things, no less important, that flavor your Uni experience. Hand-picked by your trusty seniors Katherine Allen, Hadley Hauser, and Diana Liu, this listing of Uni quirks will either rekindle old memories or spark new dread.

In their debut OG Vlog, senior editors Laura Dripps and Maritza Mestre muse about the nature of high school friendship with their special guest, sophomore Jamie Blue. So kick back and enjoy this first edition of their takes on high school life.

In light of the holidays, Roving Reporter is making yet another appearance. Uni High is celebrating Thanksgiving with a well-deserved break, so we went around asking students and faculty members what they like to do to put their own twist on this day of thanks and feasting.

There's nothing as epic as "New Moon" on the horizon this week, but there's still plenty to keep you busy during Thanksgiving break. If movies about ninja assassins and post-apocalyptic wanderings aren't to your liking, then take a listen to Lady Gaga's newest album, which has won over Katy Metcalf as the pick of the week.

From a simple opening, Uni's fall play Molière's play The Miser", the story unfolds into a wild tale of four lovers seeking to marry the ones they truly love. A full cast of colorful characters adds plenty of humor to what evolves into a very sticky situation. Here, we take a look back at the Act I of Uni's production of this classic play.

The movie version of "New Moon," the sequel to last year's "Twilight," opened in theaters on Friday, starring Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen and Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan. Gargoyle reporter Eleni Yannelis gives her take on the movie's clichéd version of romance that millions of girls can't help but adore.

Last year Dan Lilly broke the season record for most points scored by a Uni boys basketball player. More importantly, he helped his team to a 16-8 record and a share of the conference title. Now a senior, Lilly is ready to lead the Illineks to an even better season, which gets underway Monday at Kenney Gym with the Central Illinois Turkey Tourney.

Friday's closing of the elevator to students for the rest of the school year caught a lot of people by surprise, including Nancy Tang. "There's a bigger picture that we need to look at because this isn't just about the elevator," she writes. "It's really about communication between us and our administration. Someone needs to speak up for the student body and mediate between the two."

On Monday during lunch, get ready for a Thanksgiving feast laid out in the kitchen. For $5, students will receive a plate that they can load up with their favorite Thanksgiving yummies. Food Pantry Club members have high hopes that the sale will bring in a lot of money to support their cause, the Wesley Evening Food Pantry.