[Some spoilers ahead]
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Quiet, atmospheric to the inth degree, reserved, but also striking in doses (there's quite the blood-curdling scream that happens). Not to mention how gorgeously drawn every damn frame is, and the swelling music that accompanies the darker scenes. Sparing use of sound effects and dialogue also adds to the mood. Not limited, but sparing. As in being clearly carefully thought-out where the important bits can be expressed.

So much of Angel's Egg is colored in dark hues of blue; an endless night. Contrasted by how tiny the pink dress of the girl is, and how stoic her older companion is. He's seen more, she's still wide-eyed despite being quiet. And while not focused on too much, them connecting with each other is very touching. Eventually becoming sad, but you can still feel through his face that he doesn't do this out of malice. It's world-weariness vs. younger optimism.

The film, despite its short length, goes by at a slow pace, so it requires a good amount of patience out of the viewer to get the full experience. Take it from me: in life, don't forget to slow down every now and then.

This was a film that from the minute I started, I knew I had to get in the mindset of "ok, this ain't some 'turn your brain off' anime the kids watch and stuff. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with fun here and there, but I wanna actually focus and analyze as much as I can with this. Watch something that has more serious meaning behind it."

My interpretation: as desolate and lonely as a world seems, you still find clear signs of life that's now been lost. Washed anew by God. And even after all the slate-wiping, life continues. And will continue to be reborn. There may be more arks, and more lost souls whose memories live on, all while the boy remains the constant for God knows how long. (The God in question being a giant bird. Guess what's in the egg?).

The young girl is a result of this new generation, and while the boy manages to connect with her, he feels the guilt of how broken everything before fundamentally is (him destroying the egg).

The powerful thing about these kinds of media is of course how it allows (not really 'forces,' though you don't have a ton of other options) for personal interpretation. I still don't entirely know what the shadow fish symbolize, and for all I know, there's still probably a ton of stuff I didn't take better note of (I thought the girl dying symbolized her turning into more eggs, or maybe that the boy managed to save the bird inside, as shown with the film being bookended by that bird embryo and the rising eye-spaceship thing)...but that comes with the territory of Mamoru Oshii, from the little I've seen of him. I remember hearing how he doesn't concern himself too hard with characters (though I think he did a fine job with these two leads). Rather, he puts themes and ideas first. And true to the magic of film as a visual medium, Angel's Egg doesn't really hypnotize you, so much as it helps you consciously concentrate on this dark, quiet, eerie, but brimming with character world. Let it all sink in and flow throughout your body.

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My only regret is this: why the F**K did I watch this during the day?! Piece of advice, PLEASE watch this movie at night. Like, on an almost fundamental level, to really hone in your focus and match the tone, this is a nighttime film through and through.

Buuuuuuuut you can't win 'em all. And hey, even with a decent amount of natural light coming through my blinds, it's not like it kills the experience or anything either.

It's definitely a very "meditative" film. And one long take in particular PERFECTLY captures the feeling of staying up late at night in your room, where everything is quiet, minimal, and you can finally slow your life down to, I dunno, contemplate and let the quietness sink into you.

Hopefully I can rewatch at least some of the best parts at night some other day (I mean night, dangit lol).

But even still, Angel's Egg is Angel's Egg: haunting, reserved, bittersweet, and all parts moving.

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Song of the day: "Still" by Ben Folds (Over the Hedge version).

▶ Try to ignore the album cover, the actual song itself is nothing short of beautiful. Trust me, I don't just pick random songs, I try to make them fit what I watched in some way.

What? Me and many other zoomers wouldn't be Ben Folds fans if we never watched Over the Hedge.

Ok fine, listen to Jesus Etc. by Wilco, too.