“The Great Gatsby” remake will be coming out later on this spring. There’s also talk of remaking “The Sound of Music,” “Annie,” “Jumanji” and “Dirty Dancing”. To be honest, I have very little faith that a majority of these up and coming movies will live up to the standard of the originals.

Often times, remakes of older movies are heavily modernized. In some cases, this may not be a problem, but it usually ends up changing the movie itself. Take “Footloose” for example. Originally it took place in 1984. The remade version takes place in 2011. It’s so much harder to believe that a town in 2011 would ban dancing and partying. It’s even harder to believe that nearly any teenager would submit to such ridiculous rules and not think to challenge it for five years.

Another example of time being essential is “Jumanji.” It’s been only 17 years and already the effects and graphics are so outdated that they feel they have to remake it. While technology for creating special effects is growing and bettering, the effects in the remake will also be outdated before we know it. And when they want to remake it again, everyone will be tired of Alan Parrish and the game that came to life.

Casting for remakes is another big issue. Most remakes tend to be of classic movies that had actors who have been loved by each generation. Everyone who has seen an original has standards in their heads as to how the new actors need to do their jobs. Most often, the actors don’t live up to the standard.

Rene Russo and Dennis Quaid didn’t live up to the fabulous Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda in the remake of “Yours, Mine and Ours.” Carrie Underwood most likely will not live up to Julie Andrews as Maria in the remake of “The Sound of Music.” I expect the same pattern to follow as Willow Smith takes on the role of Orphan Annie, and Jay-Z attempts to do some kind of directing or producing.

If there was an older movie with the potential to be wonderful but ended up completely butchered, it’s understandable for someone to come along and decide to remake it. However, if someone tries to remake a classic loved by so many people, they’ll just be setting themselves up for failure.