Spy thrillers were much common in the 80s and 90s, whereby there was intrigue and plot more than action. Perhaps it’s the end of the Cold War and the rise of mission impossible as the de facto spy movie.
The first Mission Impossible is a spy thriller and it is beautiful. Nothing against what came after it (mostly good spy action thrillers) but the first is a very different movie.
Monster/giant monster movies. I really miss horror movies where the monster was a real monster, not some twist where the monster was actually a metaphor for loss. Also giant monsters destroying cities dont get enough love these days.
I genuinely loved 2014 Godzilla - to me, it was the right balance of building a believable undercurrent of discovery and not showing too much until it’s time. The airport scene - when a panicked terminal is running from a monster and explosions and then, boom - dwarfing all that enters a foot. Holding that shot, letting the scale sink in - really great.
Honestly, mainly just classics. I grew upnon the 70s godzilla movies and that whole universe. Alien is one of my favorites. Cloverfield (original) was fun. But honestly there just hasnt been much in the last like 20 years.
I don't know if it counts as a genre but I love a good narrator character. Two examples that come to mind are Bert from Mary Poppins or the Merry Men from Robin Hood Men in Tights. When done well it adds such a nice charm to the story.