The final Plato’s Cave show on Triple R for 2019 heard Paul Anthony Nelson, Flick Ford and Thomas Caldwell pay tribute to the cinema of the twenty-tens with their 10 favourite films from the last 10 years.

Fellow spelunker Sally Christie and I were not on-air for this salubrious occasion; however, we still submitted our lists for the tally, which our co-hosts then ably presented in our absence.

Here’s what I chose (in alphabetical order)…

ARRIVAL (2016)
Profoundly original science fiction that rivals Close Encounters in the immensity of its concept and its cinematic clout. Big, beautiful, moving, important. And it even creates its own language.

DOGTOOTH (2010)
Released on the cusp of 2009/2010, this deserves inclusion on the ‘best film’ lists of both decades. At once horrifying and hilarious, with an unforgettable psychopath and an equally unforgettable dance sequence. And it even creates its own language.

DRIVE (2011)
The action film you get when you’re not getting an action film. Brilliant in its infuriatingly protracted moments of silence (and long, lingering looks), punctuated with explosive scenes of violence. Also features the best opening sequence of the decade.

DUKE OF BURGUNDY (2014)
Writer-director Peter Strickland’s genius climaxes in this velvety, ’70s Euro dive into butterflies, lesbianism and dom-sub fantasy. Super seductive, visually sumptuous and strikingly unique.

ELLE (2016)
Utterly audacious in its depiction of sexual fetishism. It’s still hard to believe Paul Verhoeven and his team ‘got away with’ this film. But we’re oh-so lucky they did. All hail Isabelle Huppert – the most fearless actor on the planet!

GET OUT (2017)
Proof that horror is still one of the most important film genres. A game-changer in social commentary that had something new to say about liberalism and race relations. For that it deserves inclusion.

LA LA LAND (2016)
The revival of the musical? Maybe not, but still proof that cynicism in a cynical age can be powerfully undermined, screen magic is still possible and there’s nothing better than a love story well-told.

MELANCHOLIA (2011)
Just when you want to hate Lars Von Trier, he comes up with this apocalyptic masterstroke. Impressively vivid and spine-tingling, brought to life by stratospheric performances from Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg.

THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017)
A valentine to mid-20th century American popular culture that bursts with sweetness, despite its flagrant sexuality. Finally, a heroine that does not need saving, a beast that is brutally sexy, and a film that is truly beautiful.

WHIPLASH (2014)
Damien La La Land Chazelle’s second inclusion on my list, a high voltage ride into jazz drumming and bullying that plays like an action film. Tense, tight and punchy. Gets my vote for the best finale of the decade.