Best evergreen and high growing shrubs to grow for privacy

First I must just say one thing - if your house is a new development, it may be that the garden isn't very big or wide - bear in mind that anything you plant that gets tall down both sides will also get wide, so you'll need a minimum of 5 feet deep borders either side to accommodate larger shrubs.
Now here's some suggestions:-
Photinia fraserii, Prunus laurocerasus, Berberis darwinii, Pyracantha, Fatsia japonica, Viburnum tinus, Escallonia "Apple Blossom", Elaeagnus, Privet, Griselina and Bamboos (though these will need a barrier inserted into the soil to stop them spreading where you don't want them).

Looking at Bamboo's list I would just add that I have a Photinia Fraserii hedge and it is very attractive. I bought fairly small to medium chunky plants to start with because I wanted to avoid the tall twiggy look and after 3 years it is a dense attractive hedge. I also planted one escallonia about the same time and it is now 8 feet tall and about 6 feet wide . Both are easy to trim to the shape and size you need. The escallonia is probably the more truly evergreen screen but I think the photinia is nicer to have in the garden.

Take into consideration; if you have a south facing garden, planting evergreens will shade out your garden, especially during the winter months when the sun is quite low in the sky, even at mid-day. Remember the lower the sun in the sky, the longer (more) shadow.