contest/wish fulfillment

His films like 'It's a Wonderful Life' and 'You Can't Take It with You' consistently explore ordinary people achieving extraordinary dreams against societal odds.

His animated masterpieces ('Spirited Away', 'Howl's Moving Castle') feature protagonists who discover inner strength and agency through surreal contests and transformative journeys.

His cynical yet humanistic comedies ('Sunset Boulevard', 'The Apartment') dissect the gap between ambition and reality while sympathetically portraying characters pursuing their deepest desires.