Just a question. Wat do you think makes the
toys come to life?
First off, welcome to the boards! You might want to rephrase the topic title to better reflect your question.
And to answer your query, it’s up to your imagination. But if you asked me, I’d say they were meant to be living, but it’s just that we don’t know it. It’s like those ‘everyday secrets’ people never find out right beneath their noses. Very similar in vein to The Brave Little Toaster.
Excatly, they were always alive, there isnt meant to be any magic involved, its just a secret
Being assembled is like being born.
Now, obviously it makes no real sense when you really break it down, I mean how does cotton act as muscle, how do they funciton without brains, etc. but its fantasy, its not supposed to matter.
I do think it at least makes more sense than Cars being alive though for the simple fact that Toy story doesn’t ignore the existence of humans.
That is an interesing question, Bradandez…I have to agree with Kyle, though it obviously doesn’t biologically make sense, it’s just a situation which we’re meant to accept I guess. I wouldn’t say it was a magical or spiritual thing, but in a way it sort of has to be for it to happen in the first place.
Or perhaps it’s something to do with the children sort of making their toys come alive? I know that doesn’t really work in the reality of the film (seeing as toys that haven’t even been bought yet and therefore haven’t been played with come alive in the same way that other toys do) but I quite like the idea of it. Like, the children make their toys come alive in their imagination, so that when the toys are left alone, that same child-like imagination brings them to life.
But anyway, as the audience we’re not supposed to care, I guess- it’s just a fact in the world of Toy Story.
And welcome to the boards! I’ve changed the title of the topic a little so people know what it’s about. 
uh…the Akmenrah tablet?XD
My teacher says if your gifted and talented (GT class), you like to make inanimate things come to life…I geuss everyone at Pixar is GT
What I want to know is why some only some of the toys (like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mr Potato Head, Slinky) can come alive, while other toys can’t (board games and Magic 8 Ball). I used to think it was because they had facial features, but Mr. Spell and Etch don’t, yet are clearly alive so what’s the deal?
I have a feeling the Magic 8 Ball in the 1st Toy Story was alive and just teasing Woody when it says “Don’t count on it!”. I don’t really believe those things anymore anyway. 
I never questioned too much why the toys come alive. I just bought into it and accepted that it’s a cartoon and a fantasy (Disney would probably say that it’s just the magic of their world). And seeing the movie when I was little really gave me a great imagination of having my own Toy Story toys and thinking that they hold staff meetings while I’m gone, so why would I question it?
This! I always saw it that way. When I was a little kid I’d pretend to leave my room and then open the door quickly in hopes of catching my teddy bears having a party. xD
OK, but what if someone makes their own toys? Since they’re not manufacture, but played as a toy does that mean that they will come alive as well? In TS2, Hamm mentioned that the Lawn Gnomes outside are alive, so is this the same case?
I guess so. I just know that John Lasseter loves bringing inanimate objects to life, whether it be toys, cars, lamps, or knick knacks and doesn’t really explain how. He just says that the character’s personality and desires come from what they are or whatever they were made to do.
Speaking of the lawn gnomes, I thought it was funny in the Toy Story 2 commentary when one of them said “We should do a movie about Lawn Gnomes!”.
That was Lee Unkrich. I’ve been thinking it was like the Tablet of Akmenrah in Night at the Museum that caused all the exhibits to come alive.