Those scenes really got to me.
It was so touching to see their bond.
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Whoops, it's called "This is My Father."

I think that's when I fell in love with John. Of course, "Say Anything" clinched it. He can bring depth and meaning to the smallest cameo, like the pilot in "When Did You Last See Your Father" (something like that). You'll get a kick out of this. Right now, Wil Wheaton has a pic of himself on his FB page/Twitter, drinking coffee with some serious bed head and a Star Trek pajama top. While most people have commented on the hair, cup, or top, some clueless guy randomly asks him why his "dead brother in Stand By Me" has a "Brooklyn accent" and nobody else does.

Those flashback scenes are very poignant. The strongest in the film? Yes, along with one of the campfire scenes with Phoenix.
Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!

They were a strong point with the film, considering Denny was a huge influence on Gordie and John Cusack was at this time an established young actor with Better Off Dead and The Sure Thing under his belt. Kiefer Sutherland had not yet made his way when this was made.

They are the strongest imo, it places us directly into Gordie's pov.
I agree that the scenes with Denny are good, but at the same time the scenes with the parents weaken the film. The parents portrayals IMO, just appear too deliberately stylized and artificial, compared to the other acting in the film.

They are the strongest imo, it places us directly into Gordie's pov.
When the boys are camping & Gordie starts audibly moaning in his sleep, there's an instance I'm sure enough viewers are prepared to laugh at some silly comedic payoff. Only he's not dreaming or fantasizing something off beat- we immediately find he's reliving Denny's funeral, shaking him up in his sleep.
That moment is great for the film.

You are correct, sir.

Eyeball wore the hat.Ace took it.

Eyeball took the hat from Gordie, not Ace.

Yep, they are great scenes. And the baseball hat really established Ace as the villain- how he so heartlessly stole the hat from Gordie.