Gimme Three Podcast - A Series For Cinephiles
Gimme Three is a love letter to one of the most powerful mediums of artistic expression—a love letter to the films that moved us and to the great experiences we've had watching them.
In each episode, hosts Nicholas Ybarra and Bella Efstratis (and frequent special guests) will pick three incredible movies based on a selected theme.
The Gimme Three podcast aims to encourage people to return to the theater and expand their watch lists through fun banter and passionate analysis.
Episodes
140 episodes
133 - International Short Film Classics: Emilie Muller, Dimensions of Dialogue, & The House of Small Cubes
The World Cup has the entire globe buzzing. So we figured we'd do some world traveling here on the Gimme Three Podcast and celebrate three unforgettable and undeniable international short films. - We begin in France with the 1993 sh...
132 - Gimme Three A - Z. The Letter B: Being John Malkovich, Beats, & Burning
This episode marks the long awaited return of Gimme Three A-Z. Each month, Bella, Nick, and one lucky listener will contribute a film that they adore for each letter of the alphabet. This month is we've got nothing but BANGERS for the Letter B....
131 - Queer Independent Gems: The Watermelon Woman, Show Me Love (aka F*cking Åmal), & Kisses and Bullets
In this compilation episode we celebrate three independent cinema gems that highlight magnificent and original queer stories. - We start with Cheryl Dunye's 90s indie-classic, The Watermelon Woman. - Second, we travel to...
130 - Gay is Gay - Queer Joy In Cinema (feat. Jess McLaughlin) - The Birdcage, But I'm A Cheerleader & D.E.B.S.
In this week's episode, we celebrate queer joy in movies with three hilarious films that are widely considered classics among the LGBTQ community. - We start with a bonafide classic. Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, and Gene Hackman sta...
129 - Queer Love Stories: Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Moonlight, & Brokeback Mountain (Re-Release)
Happy Pride, everyone! In honor of Pride Month, we’re celebrating with a specially curated selection of some of the greatest queer love stories in cinema!Join Nick and Bella as they discuss three of the most celebrated, impressive, and r...
128 - 2026 Indie Gems (feat. Sonja Mereu) - I Love Boosters, Is God Is, & Blue Heron
Is the theater experience back? Independent horror films like Obsession and Backrooms are making waves at the box office. Fresh stories like The Drama and Crime 101 have made their...
127 - Claudette Colbert Spotlight: It Happened One Night, Midnight, & Imitation of Life (Re-Release)
Today's episode spotlights Claudette Colbert, a genuine icon of cinema. Colbert's career traversed multiple eras in Hollywood: the Silent Era, the Pre-Code Era, and the Golden Age. To kick it off, we discuss what is...
126 - The Birthday Gift feat. Arianna Ortiz & Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel
This week, The Gimme Three Podcast is proud to host two outstanding Latina filmmakers, Arianna Ortiz and Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel. Their film, The Birthday Gift, will have its West Coast Premiere at the 25th Annual LA Latino Internat...
125 - Anne Hathaway Spotlight (Rachel Getting Married, The Devil Wears Prada, & The Princess Diaries)
2026 is the year of Anne Hathaway. With five films being released this year, Nick and Bella are feeling the Hathaway fever. In this episode, the duo explores some of the prolific performer’s most iconic roles. We start with Ann...
124 - 2001 Ensemble Films (25th Anniversary): Mulholland Drive, The Royal Tenenbaums, & Gosford Park
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of many amazing films from the year 2001. In this episode, we go back in time to revisit some of our favorite episodes and discuss the ensemble casts from 2001. - We start by revisiting our episo...
123 - Gimme Three A - Z. The Letter A: Adventures in Babysitting, Another Round, American Splendor
This episode marks the first in a brand new monthly series: Gimme Three A - Z. Each month, Bella and Nick will go through each letter of the alphabet and suggest one film that they love and think everybody should have on their watchlist. We als...
122 - Michael Jackson Short Films: Thriller, Bad, & Smooth Criminal
To commemorate the release of Michael, Nick and Bella explore some of the short films (yes, short films... not music videos) from the King of Pop. Jackson helped define this art form and brought the medium to a prominence that no other artist h...
121 - 80s Dance Classics (feat. Hannelore Berlin): Dirty Dancing, Beat Street, & Footloose
Put on your dancing shoes and crank up your favorite 80s beats, because on this episode of the Gimme Three Podcast, we're cutting some rug. Actor, writer, producer (and dancer) Hannelore Berlin joins Nicholas Ybarra as they deep-dive into three...
120 - Michelle Pfeiffer Spotlight: Dangerous Liaisons, The Witches of Eastwick, & Married to the Mob (Re-Release)
Join the dangerous minds of Nicholas Ybarra and Bella Efstratis as they discuss one of the 21st century's most fabulous performers, Michelle Pfeiffer.To celebrate Ms. Pfeiffer's birthday, Nick and Bella explore three wildly entertaining...
119 - 2026 Oscar Nominated Documentaries: The Alabama Solution, The Perfect Neighbor, & Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Co-Host Bella Efstratis and Producer Sonja Mereu discuss the power of documentaries and how modern technology and ingenuity shaped some of 2025's most powerful films. - The Alabama Solution- The Perfect...
118 - Catherine O'Hara x Christopher Guest Films: Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show, & For Your Consideration
On this week’s episode, we honor one of the greatest comedic minds ever to grace the silver screen. Catherine O’Hara. In particular, we explore her wildly impressive improvisational collaborations with Christopher Guest. These films highlight s...
117 - Alice Guy-Blaché: Cinema’s First Woman Director (Madame's Cravings, The Consequences of Feminism, & A Fool and His Money)
For Women’s History Month, the Gimme Three Podcast is spotlighting a filmmaker whose name was nearly lost to history: Alice Guy-Blaché.Before Hollywood existed, before the language of cinema had even fully formed, one woman was al...
116 - Oscar Isaac Spotlight: Inside Llewyn Davis, The Card Counter & Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein
Today, we celebrate the birthday of a tremendous actor who elevates every film that he’s in. Of course, we are talking about Mr. Oscar Isaac. In his prolific career, Isaac has helmed many blockbuster franchises. Still, he hasn’t shied away from...
115 - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Return of the King (feat. Sonja Mereu)
In the third and final installment of our Lord of the Rings episodes, co-host Nicholas Ybarra and producer Sonja Mereu discuss the epic finale to one of the most impactful trilogies in cinematic history. Return of the King concludes...
114 - The Lord of The Rings Trilogy: The Two Towers (feat. Sonja Mereu)
We return with our Lord of the Rings deep dive. This week, we explore the pulse-pounding second installment, The Two Towers. Peter Jackson and team raise the stakes, sharpen their skillset, and deliver a whollop of a sequel.&nbs...
113 - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Fellowship of the Ring (feat. Sonja Mereu)
For the first time, the Gimme Three Podcast is slowing things down and taking it one movie at a time. Co-host Nick Ybarra and producer Sonja Mereu began their in-depth analysis of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. In this episode, we t...
112 - Monsters in Love (feat. Jessica McLaughlin): Ganja & Hess, Good Manners, & Bones and All
Love is in the air… and it just might kill you. We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day early with a trio of unconventional love stories from the horror-romance genre.The twisted sisters are back at it again. Special guest Jessica McLaughlin j...
111 - Favorites of 2025 pt. 3 (feat. Jessica McLaughlin): Eephus, Queens of Drama, & Bring Her Back
It’s the final installment of Favorites of 2025! We’re closing out the series with a very special guest: writer and filmmaker Jessica McLaughlin. In this episode, the trio brings their individuality, passions, and distinct cinematic...
110 - Favorites of 2025 pt. 2 (feat. Stephanie Weber): Sorry, Baby, Train Dreams, & If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
This week, we’ve got more favorite films from 2025. Nick and Bella are honored to be joined by actress, comedian, writer, paranormal investigator, and host of the Directora podcast, Stephanie Weber.
109 - Favorites of 2025 pt. 1 (feat. Sonja Mereu): One Battle After Another, Sinners, & No Other Choice
It’s that time of year! Bella, Nick, and Gimme Three Producer Sonja Mereu start our Favorite Films of 2025 Series with three excellent selections. Since these are 2025 releases, we do want to warn our listeners that we get in...