Gimme Three Podcast - A Series For Cinephiles

Nicholas Ybarra & Bella Efstratis
  • 5.0 (7)
  • FILM REVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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. 

  1. 2D AGO

    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 episode in which we honored the late, great David Lynch. We explored the mind-bending, pulse-pounding thriller Mulholland Drive.  - Second, we explored the early work of Wes Anderson in The Royal Tenenbaums, which features an all-star cast including Gene Hackman, Angelica Houston, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Danny Glover, Gwenyth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, and Bill Murray.  - We can't discuss great ensemble casts without honoring the work of Robert Altman. His 2001 film Gosford Park was his last - and he went out with another modern classic.  Have you seen these films? What'd you think? What are some of your favorite ensemble casts?  ❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️ Support the show Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content. Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast You can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

    1h 15m

  2. APR 29

    123 - Gimme Three A - Z. The Letter A: Another Round, American Splendor + Our Audience Pick!

    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 also get feedback and suggestions from you, our audience.  This month: the letter A! We open with a submission from one of our listeners, Adriana Lopez Lacen, who suggested the Chris Columbus directorial debut, Adventures in Babysitting, starring Elizabeth Shue. Bella submitted the impactful, relatable, and emotionally-charged Academy Award-winning film Another Round. Nick submitted an indie darling from 2003, Paul Giamatti plays comic book writer Harvey Pekar in American Splendor. Have you seen these films? What’d you think of them?  And don’t be shy - submit your suggestions for next month, what film do you love that starts with the letter B? ❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️ Support the show Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content. Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast You can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

    1h 27m

  3. APR 22

    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 had approached.  *Click on the titles of the films to watch them on YouTube* - We start with what is widely considered to be the greatest music video of all time, the horror-inspired Thriller, directed by John Landis.  - Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese directs MJ and Wesley Snipes in the eighteen-minute, street-inspired Bad.  - Finally, Technicolor dance pictures, gangster movies, and Film Noir all inspire some of the most unforgettable choreography Michael Jackson ever performed (which is saying a lot) in Smooth Criminal.  - Additionally, in Sonja's Movie Minute, you'll hear about her experience and thoughts after attending the LA Premiere of Michael.  Let us know what you think of these short films. What is your favorite MJ film or music video? ❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️ Support the show Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content. Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast You can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

    1h 4m

  4. APR 15

    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 of the 1980s' most impactful dance films.  - We start with perhaps the most iconic dance film of the decade, in which Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey made the entire world swoon in 1987's Dirty Dancing.  - Second, we explore perhaps the most important film in hip hop history. Harry Belafonte produced this authentic slice-of-life look at the South Bronx and B-Boy culture in Beat Street.  - Finally, Kevin Bacon stars in the career-making performance, Footloose. Have you seen these films? Which is your favorite? Let us know! ❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️ Support the show Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content. Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast You can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

    1h 33m

  5. APR 8

    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 films from Michelle's filmography. In this episode, we discuss titillating Dangerous Liaisons, the outrageously deft The Witches of Eastwick, and the unique Jonathan Demme gem Married To The Mob. And don't worry—show producer Sonja Mereu has Pfeiffer's iconic portrayal of Catwoman covered in Sonja's Movie Minute.  Our only regret is that Michelle Pfeiffer's birthday is not celebrated every month because we just can't get enough. For now, this jam-packed episode will leave you with a case of Pfeiffer Fever! *This episode contains spoilers. However, the films are over thirty years old, so don't blame us.* ❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️ Support the show Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content. Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast You can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

    1h 5m

  6. APR 1

    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 Neighbor - Mr. Nobody Against Putin These films are not only a masterclass in editing but also an important tool for empathy and a call to action. Let us know what you think of these films and your favorite documentary of 2025.  ❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️ Support the show Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content. Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast You can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

    1h 8m

  7. MAR 25

    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 some of the most impressive elements of O’Hara’s talents: her improv skills, her dramatic range, her world-building, and her overall magnetic star power. We start with the small-town mockumentary Waiting for Guffman, where O’Hara plays Sheila Albertson, a travel agent with big dreams of Broadway stages and Hollywood lights. Next, O’Hara plays Cookie Fleck in the iconic mockumentary about the highly competitive and cut-throat world of dog shows in Best In Show. Finally, Catherine O’Hara plays Marilyn Hack, a struggling actor looking to climb her way back up the ladder in the biting industry satire, For Your Consideration. Let us know what you think of these films and what is your favorite Catherine O’Hara performance ever? ❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️ Support the show Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content. Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast You can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

    1h 19m

  8. MAR 16

    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 already experimenting with storytelling on screen—directing hundreds of films and helping shape what movies could become. So why don’t more people know her name? In this episode, Nick and Bella explore three of Alice Guy-Blaché’s fascinating and wildly entertaining short films: Madame’s Cravings (1906), The Consequences of Feminism (1906), and A Fool and His Money (1912).  Along the way, they uncover the remarkable story of a filmmaker who was decades ahead of her time—pushing the boundaries of comedy, visual storytelling, and social satire in the earliest days of cinema. More than a century later, these films are still funny, inventive, and clearly influential. Join Nick and Bella as they rediscover the work of a true cinematic trailblazer—and ask how someone so important could almost disappear entirely from film history. Also! Sonja Mereu's Movie Minute spotlights the great Chloé Zhao for her extraordinary work on Hamnet. For an instant mood boost, check out this video from her Hamnet set: https://www.tiktok.com/@focusfeatures/video/7597484850001612087  ❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️ Support the show Sign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content. Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcast You can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on Letterboxd Shout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

    53 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

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. 

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