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For me the "calm before the storm" in various media is always really interesting to me. Like when a piece of post-apocalyptic or horror fiction starts off first showing things just before shit hits the fan (The Last of Us' prologue section is one of my favorites, and it's also why Fallout 4's intro is probably my favorite in the whole series), that sense of knowing something big is about to happen and the anticipation of it heightens the tension, then it happens and you see the world go from "normal" to "screwed up." Or works where we see the main character(s) approaching a final confrontation and the build up to it.

I guess time travel leading to some alternative history shenanigans. Especially when it's done in a believable manner, it's one thing to have nuclear Nazi mechs, but it's another to explore a believable world under the control of the axis.

After all, it takes a lot more skill & research to pull it off.

I really like the calm before the storm too. Another one I like is the "forced showdown" where characters that don't really want to fight each other HAVE to fight. Either because one instigates the fight with an ulterior motive ("I need to know you're strong enough"/"I need to push you past a certain point"/"I want you to be the one to kill me",etc.) or because of circumstances that simply can't be reconciled ("You need the mcguffin to save your people, I need it to save mine",etc.).

characters travelling into their shows own fictional universes.

Evil admiral takes over the ship, starts to do increasingly risky things, then when the captain finally refuses and is relieved, the crew mutinies. Bonus points if there's a fleet and it rebels as well. I love it primarily because of the "relationships and friendships trump an extra star on the uniform" theme that usually runs along with it and the fact someone's much more likely to follow dangerous orders from someone they trust and respect than from an asshole who just showed up.

Really challenging penultimate boss but with a very visually spectacular final boss.

FRIENDSHIP KILLS THE GOD ENEMY!!!
It's a stupid cliché, mostly found in animation (both western and eastern, although anime abuses it a bit more), but I love it. It may be stupid but I love it. That's how Buu and Cell were defeated, that's how My Hero Academia will end, and that will be the end of Avengers: Endgame, just like the Guardians of the Galaxy and the other Avengers movies.

Another one I like is the redemption arc. When a character overcomes being evil or a terrible trait. I liked it when the Sandman was a hero, I liked it when Vegeta joined the Z Fighters, and I'll be one of the few people who liked it when Barney stopped drinking. It was a good and touching episode.

"Damn! The machine to propel us out of here needs to be power with pleasure!
Dave, we need to have sex!"

It Always Rains at Funerals
its overused and cliche but i love it

Fighter-Launching Sequence has always been a favorite of mine.

Traintop Battle ranks highly as well.

I have yet to see a combination of the two though.

The Friendly Enemy or Frenemy is a favorite. I like the concept of two individuals fighting each other in one moment, and then temporarily combine forces to combat a third party in another.

Bonus if the hero and villain do some recreational activity together off the clock. Dating Catwoman is also a good one, but is tricky as that has to be written carefully to be done well.

the Reluctant Hero trope.
i really like how some normal person is forced to become a hero and save the world simply because of circumstance.

suddenly he needs not only to deal with his own personal insecurities and regular life, but also the fate of their kingdom/country/world/town rests upon them. so it creates interesting conlict.

and best of all, i love seeing timid avarage folks are are not used to anything heroic, suddenly becoming objects of fame and admiration.

but i guess its just self projection in the end of the day

I'm generally a fan of tragic stuff. I guess it's because it helps contrast and highlight events, actions and characters. There's also that "if only x didn't happen" moment where the bittersweet part is most poignant. It's a huge emotional tease, almost the opposite of cathartic. If I had to be more specific than an entire category of stuff though, I'll go with star-crossed lovers. I'm a bit of a sucker for romance.

Maybe this is too general, but I also like it when your average, unremarkable person becomes a hero. This is probably leaning heavily on the wish fulfillment/self-projection side, but it really resonates on a personal level. I'm a big fan of the idea that an individual's potential is limitless and that anyone can be molded into someone great. I hate the idea of being limited for things outside of your control. Also the idea of working hard to achieve an ideal is much more appealing than being born great. This trope is a big reason why I love Boku no Hero so much.