Gimme Three Podcast - A Series For Cinephiles

As we gear up for the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival, Bella and Nick explore the work of some of the most important figures in Black Independent Cinema and Independent Cinema in general. 

These powerful voices are a huge reason why this podcast and the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival exist today - so tune in for our discussion on these bold movies. 

• We start with A Symbol of the Unconquered by the legendary Osc...

Earlier this month, the cinephile community lost another tremendous performer. In this episode, Nick & Bella pay tribute to the ever-cool and always hypnotic Michael Madsen. 

The duo discusses Madsen’s unique approach to the art and craft of acting and delves into some of his most famous roles, as well as some of his lesser-known performances. 

• We start with Quentin Tarantino’s debut feature film, Reservoir Dogs, wh...

This week, we’re stepping away from the cinema and turning our attention to the world of music videos.

Joined by returning guest and producer Sonja Mereu, we dive into nine standout videos that span genres, decades, and styles—each one iconic in its own right and packed with amazing visual storytelling.

Check out the lineup:

• Take On Me by A-ha
•  Express Yourself by Madonna
•  Telephone by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé
•  Doin’ Time (cover) by Lan...

It’s summer! And for the cinephile community, that means it’s blockbuster season. In this episode, we tip our hat to the godfather of the summer blockbuster, Mr. Steven Spielberg. To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the industry-changing classic, Jaws, we highlight three of Spielberg’s most iconic blockbusters. 

• We start with 1975’s Jaws, the summer blockbuster that started it all. 
• Second, Spielberg warms hearts and spar...

This week, in a really fun compilation episode, we travel back to 1995! Thirty years ago! Nick and Bella (and a friend or two along the way) chat about the magical year of ’95 and some of the blockbuster movies that accompanied it. 

On the list today:

• From our Pixar Films episode, guest Max Sopkin and the gang discuss the OG Pixar movie, Toy Story.
• From our Val Kilmer Tribute episode, we revisit the highest-grossing film of 1...

We’re keeping the Pride celebration going this week with an episode all about the history of drag!

Bella Efstratis is joined by a very special returning guest, Bailey Katler, to break down three essential documentaries that celebrate the art, power, and evolution of drag culture.

• First up: The Queen, which takes us inside the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest in New York City.
•  Then, it’s Paris Is Burning — the iconic deep...

This week, Bella is joined by special guests Melia and Henry Chendo to celebrate Pride with a look at Gregg Araki’s Teen Apocalypse Trilogy:

• Totally F***ed Up (1993)
• The Doom Generation (1995)
• Nowhere (1997)

A trailblazer of New Queer Cinema, Araki captured the chaos of queer youth in the ’90s like no one else. These films are loud, sexy, surreal, and devastating — soaked in color, contradiction, and emotion.

In this episode, w...

To celebrate the re-release of Dogma (which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary), Bella and Nick took a field trip to see the Kevin Smith classic on the big screen. We were joined by our good friend and returning guest, Max Sopkin. 

The trio discusses their theater experience and does a deep dive on Kevin Smith’s early career work. 

• First up, we explore the industry-shaking “little movie that could: " the foul-mout...

This week, we’re heading to the shore—but not for the sunshine. Returning guest Michel Eljaiek joins co-host Bella Efstratis to explore the darker side of paradise through three beach-set thrillers that reveal just how quickly bliss can turn into terror.

• First up is Old (2021), M. Night Shyamalan’s eerie tale of a secluded beach where visitors age rapidly, confronting the horror of time and mortality.
• Then it’s The Beach (2000), ...

This week, we’re celebrating the release of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, which highlights three films with the biggest stunts, highest stakes, and most pulse-pounding, applaud-worthy finishes of the Mission: Impossible franchise. 

• We start at the beginning, with Brian De Palma’s now legendary spy thriller. 1996’s Mission: Impossible. 
• Second, we jump to the franchise’s fourth installment. Tom Cruise scales the ...

This week, Paddington is officially joining the Gimme Three Podcast family! Join us as we dive into these three magical films that feel like storybooks brought to life!

• We start at the beginning with Paddington (2014), where a little bear from darkest Peru arrives in London and teaches the Brown family—and all of us—how kindness and a little marmalade can change everything. A cozy classic right from the start.
  
  
• Next, we ...

In celebration of Mother’s Day, we are revisiting one of our favorite themes: Great Mother Characters (our third installment). In this episode, we are highlighting immigrant mothers with three powerful and inspiring films. 

• We start with the epic tale of generational courage, trauma, and perseverance in the 1993 classic Joy Luck Club. 
• Second, an underrated gem that highlights the incredible sacrifice of immigrant mothers in...

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, three real-life friends broke into the Mexican and International film scenes and made their mark on the art form. Since then, Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo Del Toro, and Alejandro González Iñárritu have delivered several masterpieces and won several Academy Awards. 

In this episode, we highlight three of the filmmaker's finest early works:

• We start with Alfonso Cuarón’s breathtaking c...

Returning guest and friend of the show, Max Sopkin, returns for an in-depth episode on the legendary Barbra Streisand. After watching all nineteen of Streisand's films, Max has selected three that highlight the range, talent, and overall superstardom that Barbra possesses. 

- We start with Barbra Streisand's on-screen debut, her Oscar-winning performance in Funny Girl. 

- Second, a little-known and underrated gem, Up The Sa...

With Baseball season in full swing, we thought it’d be appropriate to dive into classic films that find a home on the diamond. America’s Favorite Pastime is the pastime of the Gimme Three Podcast this week. 

Listen to host Nicholas Ybarra's torment over his love/hate relationship with the sport, and find out if host Bella Efstratis was finally able to shed a tear for a sports movie. 

• First up, the 1976 Michael Ritc...

On this episode of the Gimme Three Podcast, we discuss the career of the late, great actor Val Kilmer; a life and saga cut short, but left several iconic performances. We explore a few here:

• First, Val Kilmer transforms every fiber of his being into Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s hypnotic masterpiece, The Doors. 
• In one of the most memorable and quotable performances ever, Val Kilmer plays the dentist-turned-outlaw Doc Holliday i...

The Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival will return to the big screen this August. Save the dates: August 22nd - 24th, 2025. Visit LADFF.com to join the festival’s mailing list and stay current with venues and programs.

On today’s episode of the Gimme Three Podcast, we revisit some of the greatest hits from LADFF’s 10-year history. 

•  First, a flashback to our interview with actress/comedian Shannon DeVido, during which she d...

The Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival will return to the big screen this August. Save the dates: August 22nd - 24th, 2025. Visit LADFF.com to join the festival’s mailing list and stay current with venues and programs. 

On today’s episode of the Gimme Three Podcast, we revisit some of the greatest hits from LADFF’s 10-year history. 

• First, a flashback to our interview with filmmaker Anna Baumgarten as she discussed her...

In 1999, the teen sex comedy was revitalized with the release of the shocking and wildly successful film American Pie. The box office juggernaut would become a modern classic and spark a franchise akin to the National Lampoon series. 

On today’s episode of the Gimme Three Podcast, we explore the first three American Pie films. 

The gang’s all here: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Shannon Eliz...