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. 4d ago

    You're Cursed Bitch! - The Ring, Drag Me to Hell, & Hausu (feat. Jessica McLaughlin)

    A cursed videotape. A cursed button. A cursed house. Spooky Season begins with three iconic horror films built around a deadly curse. Co-host Bella Efstratis is joined by writer, filmmaker, and horror expert Jessica McLaughlin to discuss an iconic triple feature: Gore Verbinski’s The Ring, Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell, and Nobuhiko Obayashi’s Hausu (House). We get into why The Ring still hits even if you’ve never used a VHS, the origin of the adaptation, and the various themes of  its “viral curse." We also talk score, color palette, and the simple, yet satisfying structure that makes every reveal land. Then we pivot into Drag Me to Hell as a moral fable where one bad decision turns into three days of escalating punishment. We debate the film’s tonal swings, what makes Christine such a tough protagonist to sit with, and why Raimi’s loud, gross, crowd-pleasing set pieces play completely differently in a theater versus at home. Finally, Hausu blows the doors off logic entirely. We dig into Obayashi’s DIY magic, his daughter’s nightmares on screen, and the deeper grief underneath the candy-colored chaos, where a place can hold pain long enough to become a living curse. If you love horror movies (especially those with cursed objects) and spooky season watchlist ideas, hit play, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review. Which curse would you least want to face? ❗️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.

  2. Sep 30

    145 - Gimme Three A - Z. The Letter C: Cmon Cmon, Captain Fantastic, & Clueless

    We're back with our alphabet extravaganza series with THE LETTER C! Three movies start with C, but the real question is: Can Sonja & Bella find another connection between the three? We go from the tranquil beauty of Cmon Cmon to the complex moral maze of Captain Fantastic, and land on the forever-quotable joy of Clueless. Challenge accepted! We break down why Mike Mills’ black and white filmmaking in Cmon Cmon isn’t a “style choice” so much as the emotional language of the story. Plus some good ole Joaquin Phoenix praise for yet another incredible performance, and the other extraordinary cast in the film! Next, Captain Fantastic blows Bella's mind. We discuss Viggo Mortensen’s off-the-grid father character and the pure “shades of gray” of this film that makes it such a unique and impactful watch. Finally, Clueless proves that a truly great teen comedy can stand the tests of time: razor-sharp dialogue, perfect casting, iconic costume design, and a soundtrack that lives in our hearts forever. If you love movie recommendations, film analysis, and conversations that treat laughter and heartbreak with equal respect, press play! Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, share the episode with a cinephile friend, and leave us a review so more cinephiles can find the show! ❗️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.

  3. Sep 23

    144 - Yorgos Lanthimos Spotlight (feat. Michel Eljaiek): The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Alps & Dogtooth (Re-release)

    Happy Birthday Yorgos! Celebrate Yorgos Lanthimos' birthday today with a re-release of our spotlight on the filmmaker. In this episode, co-host Bella Efstratis is joined by special guest, Michel Eljaiek, to review three films from his extraordinary filmography: The Killing of a Sacred DeerAlpsDogtoothWhat is your favorite Yorgos Lanthimos film? ❗️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.

  4. Sep 16

    143 - Gerardo Maravilla (Enseñame Como Morir) - LADFF 2026 pt. 4

    Grief manifests and appears in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes as a question you can’t stop asking, or a dream you can’t shake. We’re joined by award-winning filmmaker Gerardo Maravilla to talk about how a deeply personal loss became a bold short film concept: a grieving woman becomes fascinated with discovering what it feels like to die. The result is a story that’s emotionally honest, culturally specific, and fearless in its visual style and genre. We talk craft from the inside out: breaking into filmmaking without industry connections, surviving the brutal hours of production work, and returning to screenwriting when life forces you to get clear about what matters. Gerardo shares a refreshingly practical writing process built on messy first notes, dream fragments, and relentless revision, plus what grants, rejections, and creative programs can teach you if you keep showing up. If you’ve ever tried turning grief, trauma, or regret into art, you’ll hear real advice on staying open, staying kind to yourself, and letting the project tell you what it wants. Then we get nerdy in the best way, digging into directing choices like grounded magical realism, strip-mall world-building, color-inspired ideas around death and remembrance, and why stop-motion texture can trigger a visceral reaction. We also talk casting and performance, including how Gina Diaz anchors the film’s emotional arc across multiple “worlds,” and we close with three film recommendations that reveal Gerardo’s creative DNA. If you like independent film, short films, screenwriting, directing, and storytelling about grief and healing, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a filmmaker friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show! ❗️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.

  5. Sep 15

    142 - Deborah Lee Smith & Brian Leahy (Glitterbomb) + Kirby Marshall-Collins (Ways to Fly) - LADFF 2026 pt. 3

    In this episode, Nick sits down with 3 outstanding filmmakers who depict real life through a truly creative and beautiful cinematic lens. We sit down with producer and star Deborah Lee Smith and writer-director Brian Leahy to unpack Glitterbomb, their short film screening at LADFF this week. We get into the meaning behind the glitter, the thematic color choices, and the filmmakers' insight into performing trauma with control, catharsis, and care on set. Next, we pivot to writer-director Kirby Marshall Collins and her directorial debut Ways to Fly, a coming-of-age short film following a hyperactive young Black girl on her first day of ballet, shaped by Kirby’s lived experience with ADHD and sensory processing. We talk about the importance of outlines, what a perfect writing day looks like, and advice on casting a young lead and directing kids with patience and clarity. Across both conversations, we touch on: how multi-hyphenate filmmakers survive, how to communicate your vision, why your DP and first AD can make or break a shoot, and how to build a team you actually trust.  If you’re heading to a film festival, making a short film, or writing your next script, you’ll leave with tools you can use right away. Subscribe, share the show with a filmmaker friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find 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.

  6. Sep 14

    141 - Louisa Connolly-Burnham (Full Fat) & Terry Franklin & Jeffrey Moline (Love Will Set You Free) - LADFF 2026 pt.2

    Somebody experiments with queerness for a night and calls it “fun.” Somebody else is left holding the confusion, the shame, and the fallout. We sit down with filmmaker Louisa Connolly Burnham to talk about Full Fat, a razor-sharp short screening opening night at the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival, and we get honest about the emotional consequences that can land on queer people when attraction gets treated like a party story instead of a real connection. Louisa also walks us through the nuts and bolts of independent filmmaking without the traditional path: coming from acting, writing and directing her first short during a career dry patch, raising money through Kickstarter, and committing to the discipline of making a film a year. Plus so much more! Then we shift to documentary and legacy with Terry Franklin and Jeffrey Moline, whose Love Will Set You Free screens at LADFF as part of Block 2: The Way Through. Terry shares the true family documents that sparked the project: a will contest where enslaved ancestors were treated as property, and a fight over whether a dying man had the right to set them free. We talk about turning that history into a musical, a book, and a documentary performance piece, why art can be an act of resistance, and how building an artistic family through the Turbine Arts Collective keeps the work alive. Stick around for our Gimme 3 movie picks from each guest! Subscribe, share with a cinephile friend, and leave a review! ❗️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.

  7. Sep 2

    140 - Stephan Fleet & JL Perkel (XY) + Ellen Ancui (Saverio) - LADFF 2026 pt. 1

    A woman stops for a quick errand and returns to her car to find an abandoned old man in the front seat. Another woman fights to stay herself while the world around her turns cruel and unpredictable. Those are the sparks behind Saverio and XY, two LADFF short films that hit with humor, heartbreak, and the kind of specificity that makes a story feel uncomfortably universal. We sit down with writer-director Ellen Ancui to talk about her winding path from New York theater to TV writing, the “golden handcuffs” of stable work, and what finally pushed her to direct her debut film. She shares how a real encounter with elder abandonment led to Saverio, why “granny dumping” is more common than people think, and how you write a short film where every line earns its place. We also get practical about indie production: letting locations reshape the script, collaborating early with an editor, and making the set move faster through better communication. Then director and co-writer Stephan Fleet and co-writer and star JL Perkell join us to unpack XY, authenticity in queer and trans storytelling, and the creative trust it takes to build a film together from page to edit. They break down a devastating one-take phone monologue, discuss how America fails its queer communities, and offer hard-won directing advice for anyone sitting on a script and waiting for permission. Subscribe for more filmmaker conversations, share this with a friend heading to a film festival, and leave a review with the moment that stayed with you. ❗️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.

  8. Aug 19

    139 - Revisiting Steven Spielberg Summer Blockbusters: (50th Anniversary of Jaws) + E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, & Jurassic Park (Re-release)

    Summer’s not over yet! Get outta the heat and revisit a Steven Spielberg Summer Blockbuster, then go check out our episode covering the three bangers spanning from the 70s to the 90s! In this re-release episode, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, JAWS, the heartwarming and imaginative sci-fi family classic, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, and the industry-altering picture and innovative thrill ride of Jurassic Park! These just scratch the surface of Spielberg’s summer blockbusters, but they are quintessential, not only to his career, not only to the term blockbuster, but to cinematic history itself.  ❗️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.

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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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