We call the backing up, retrograde motion and Mars is exhibiting retrograde motion right now. If you watch Mars throughout the month of June, you'll see that it gets closer to Antares every night and that it's traveling west to do so. Mars began its retrograde motion last month on May 15th and it will continue west toward Antares until the first of August when it will turn around and head east once more. Antares means Rival of Mars and by the end of July, you'll be able to judge for yourself whether Mars and Antares look alike. The short answer is, they don't.
Earth travels much faster than Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
As we overtake the slower planets in our trips around the Sun, they appear to slow down and then back up just as a slower-moving car can appear to be backing away from your car. Go out and watch it back up this week.