55
Metascore
6 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Film ThreatFilm ThreatMost appealing is the film’s mixture of California post-War history, cults and a tinge of science fiction — an intriguing combination of elements that make it a winner.
- 63Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreThere’s no judgement here, so any laughs you have are of your own devising. They’re a funny lot, the devout and the doubters. Even the late USC historian Kevin Starr takes the subject seriously, parking it within ancient belief systems and modern California loopiness.
- 63Boston GlobePeter KeoughBoston GlobePeter KeoughAnchoring this diverting, disparate collage are interviews with those who still believe in Van Tassel’s faith and message.
- 60Los Angeles TimesMichael RechtshaffenLos Angeles TimesMichael RechtshaffenGiven all the intriguing stuff he had at his disposal...it’s a shame Berman isn’t able to bring the enigmatic man of the hour (plus 17 minutes) into greater focus.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeEarthlings is rather scattered in both its portrait of Van Tassel as a man and its explanation of his cultural impact.
- 50Village VoiceRob StaegerVillage VoiceRob StaegerThere isn’t much marijuana use in Jonathan Berman’s documentary Calling All Earthlings, but its elliptical, ramshackle structure could make one question the merits of legalization.