Have you ever driven down to Blockbuster just to find that the movie you wanted to see wasn’t in stock. Those wasted journeys can now become a thing of the past, thanks to Blockbuster’s new Android app. Find the movie you want to see, and the app will tell you whether your local Blockbuster store has it.

In addition to this, the new app allows you to browse Blockbuster’s library of movies and games. You can search by title, actor, genre, format, and more. You can also use the app to manage your Blockbuster By Mail account, with the ability to add and remove movies from your mail order queue.

“Whether you’re standing in line for a latte or on the train for your evening commute, now you can decide which new release to pick up before you get to the store, and make sure it’s in stock,” said Blockbuster President Michael Kelly.

“And if you’re a Blockbuster By Mail member, the functionality goes even deeper; you can add, re-prioritize and remove movies from your queue. It’s like having the entire 100,000-plus movie catalog at your fingertips, wherever and whenever you want to peruse it.”

It’s completely free — as you’d expect — and it’s available to download now from Google Play. You’ll need an Android device running Gingerbread or later to use it.

Blockbuster has been struggling in recent years as more and more people switch to movie rental and streaming services from competitors like Netflix. The company has had to close a whole host of stores nationwide, but it still has many that remain open. It will surely be hoping that its new app can boost the popularity of its retail locations.

• SourceBlockbuster