I never read the initial post about Lex’s Oscar Project, but I think the goal is to watch every film that has ever won an Academy Award for Best Picture (so, that would be 76 films?). Regardless, she recently posted a list of five elements that award-seeking screenwriters and directors can’t do without:
- Your picture must be over 2 hours. (All of the winners are long.)
- The movie stands a better chance of winning if it is a bio-pic, a period piece, an epic, or a musical. It also stands a good chance of winning if it’s adapted from a book.
- Popular themes are war related themes, or bio-pics (as already mentioned.)
- You stand a better chance if you include Russell Crowe (in recent year), Dustin Hoffman, or Jack Nicholson.
- Include a lot of hats. For some reasons, there are always great hats in Oscar winners.
She’s correct on all accounts–especially about the hats. Mind you, Ghandi didn’t wear a hat, but I suppose all the Brits did.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
Yeah, I am watching all the best picture winners. And I’m glad you agree with my criteria 🙂
It helps if you have a roll with a major mental deficiency of some sort.
Ideally the lead character should be:
An idiot savant
Physically disfigured in a highly noticible way, but not disfigured enough to hide that he or she would be, in fact, very beautiful without it
Beaten as a child
Living with an abusive significant other
Struggling against overwhelming odds
Flawed in a cute way
In love with someone considered inappropriate
Scottish
Roll all those things together in one movie and you’ve got yourself a ticket to the gravy train.