a-ha: The Movie

Legendary Norwegian band arrive at the big screen in this phenomenal documentary. It follows them and their whole career from kids in Oslo dreaming of music to now. I like to consider myself an a-ha fan, but I was surprised at how little I actually knew about the trio.

To fans, this is a must-watch. To people who aren't fans, I still would recommend this as a wonderful drama set to wonderful music. The story is told through interviews, vintage photos, concert clips, and more. It's a phenomenal movie and just go watch it for yourself. Chances are, even a-ha's biggest critics can still find something to enjoy here.

This is a good documentary about my favourite band growing up on the 80's. I still contend that Scoundrel Days is one of three perfect albums ever made. The other two being Joshua Kadison's Painted Desert Serenade and U2's Joshua Tree.

It was sad though to see the ongoing strife and resentment between the band members. At times the constant bickering seemed childish, but like a family does, they seem to get together again. Therefore, great and sad feelings were experienced watching it. I suppose life never really presents the fairy tales we were told as kids.

I'm not nostalgic, but I enjoyed this.

I think it was frank and for those with any appreciation for the band's work, provided a context for their major releases.

My only criticism, understandable for a band going so long, would be that the transition from album to album was fast, without much insight into where the albums fit into their history.

If you love the songs, the commentary from the group makes a difference. If you come to this without any previous knowledge of a-ha, much of this will likely fly over your head.

A-ha are the most frustrating band ever. I think many fans believe they are less than the sum of their parts and wait for an album that really shows what they are and can be. "Scoundrel Days" comes closest for me. But a-ha seemingly can start a fight in an empty room. And, alas, let time slip through their fingers and so continue to interact like strangers meeting for the first time.

If you're a fan, like me, you probably hope for a series to properly explore the workings and history in depth. But if you're not, I'd suggest keeping your expectations low unless anthropology is your thing.

The major lesson for me is that this is a love-hate relationship band if ever there was one, and in their never-ending fight for identity with one another, they allowed their individuality to become lost, ironically, despite having one of the most distinctive sounds of the time.

Morten Harket, Pål Waaktaar, and Magne Furuholmen are still performing. The Norwegian trio has been a-ha on and off for four decades. Their song was everywhere for a good second. More importantly, there was that music video. For a few months, they were one of the biggest bands in the world. After their catchy follow-up song, I really didn't follow them too closely. They would show up here and there. Their new songs never caught my ear. Nevertheless, it's great to relive the 80's.

I always thought that they were just a Norwegian boy band which couldn't break the language barrier despite speaking functional English. Like most people, there is deeper waters here. One thing I didn't know is the friction within the band and some of their dissatisfactions. I understand their need for artistic fulfillment. The fact that they are still making new music is a testament to that. This documentary allows for a bit of nostalgic remembrance but also reveals something more about the band.

The Norwegian pop sensation A-ha has had a long and eventful career. This documentary is based on the music, but also how the members have experienced being part of this pop group. What I really appreciated about the documentary is that it devotes a lot of space to just the music. The film deals with the group's releases in chronological order, and allows members to tell about the background for different styles and choices. For those of us who grew up with A-ha, this provides new insight and it is exciting to hear Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar talk about songwriting, production and not least the collaboration between them. This documentary also reveals strong disagreements between the group's members, and the disagreements they have had that at times have made it difficult to keep the group together. I find this documentary both insightful and entertaining. It also has many new recordings of the group over the years. Key people also contribute. This makes the documentary appear solid and worth seeing.