Germans and Film Reviews

I've been wondering for a while whether the lack of critical reviews in the Japanese media is "unique" or whether I was just wrongly assuming the universality of press interest in judging artistic products. But here now are the Germans, who are up in arms over a War of the Worlds press-ban. (And by the way, having a press ban is always a sign that your movie is terrible.)

While we're on the topic, does anyone know of any other country besides Japan that does not have institutionalized cultural reviews? Is this a East Asian social-network concept, a developing nation concept, or just another sign of a weak media dependent upon its advertisers?