He was instrumental in the founding of Raleigh's Spectator Magazine in 1978. At that time he began writing film criticism professionally. He moved to New York in 1991, and has written for numerous national and international publications, including The New York Times, Variety, The Village Voice, New York Press, Interview, Film Comment, Oxford American, the Independent Weekly and Rogerebert.com.

Of special interest to him are cinematic representations of the Southern United States, Iranian film, and the transition from analog to digital technology.