I don't know why people try to find a DEEP meaning in Evangelion. Though Eva speaks to everyone differently, the basic fundamentals of the show isn't that far from Gunbuster. Its a "coming of age" story about our protagonists facing problems that people like us go through everyday. Peer pressure, envy, jealousy, wanting to be loved and accepted (big theme here what with A.T fields and whatnot) and etc. Eva injects more angst and speaks to alot of us who have problems relating with our parents, the expectations placed on us since we were kids, and the pressure to live up to them.
Reading the introduction of Eva 1.11 included with the Blu Ray, i was more or less convinced that Anno intends to make Eva more accesible at face value so just watch it like you would any other anime and take it at face value. The characters are well thought out, their motivations very clear and their insecurities laid out to bare. Eva is just that. Don't bother about mumbo jumbo non-symbols. If anything , the Eva movies is going at new direction and I really feel that Shinji is growing as a character (unlike the TV series).