Somewhere in the "Blood on the Tracks" 1970s, I was hitch-hiking and got picked up by a Cointreau drinking Jesus freak. To break the ice after an awkward two minutes, I asked where he was coming from. Suddenly, Jesus freak whips his head back looks me straight in the eye and says - "It ain't important where're your coming from - it's where your going that's important". I wonder if it was because he was looking back at me and not at the road which we were cruising along at dangerous high speed, that his point sunk in so deep. What did Dylan say? Don't look back. So Thom, I'm looking forward... ... to a Flaming Lips Concert with documentary filmmaker Brad Beesley. ...to dinner at Lee Garden with film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum. ...and to see a bunch of cool films - just like everyone else.

[Mann will show Tales of the Rat Fink (above) in Real to Reel this year - Ed.]